


Second times the charm

by ShadowsintheClouds



Series: Chances [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alpha Bucky Barnes, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Anal Sex, Bucky Barnes Feels, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Civil War Team Iron Man, DO NOT COPY, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Hurt Tony Stark, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mpreg, Omega Tony Stark, Parent Bucky Barnes, Parent Tony Stark, Peter Parker is Tony Stark's Biological Child, Steve critical, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, True Mates, not wanda maximoff friendly, takes place during civil war
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-29
Updated: 2020-10-26
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:41:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 23,281
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26706892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadowsintheClouds/pseuds/ShadowsintheClouds
Summary: Tony never thought he'd ever see his mate again. Not after that one heat they shared. Hell, he hardly remembered what the guy looked like. He only really had a name. James. Tony certainly wasn't expecting to meet the man again while the world seemed to be collapsing around him.And he certainly wasn't expecting him to be a 100-year-old brainwashed assassin.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Peter Parker, James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Series: Chances [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1943560
Comments: 88
Kudos: 845
Collections: Winteriron all the time





	1. Before

**Author's Note:**

> Well, would you look at that? I’ve gone and written another fic in-between all those dang bingo fills. This is one I’ve been sleeping on for a while so I hope you enjoy it. Get ready for angst and a tiny Civil War fix because that movie makes me angry. So, I hope you enjoy this one. I’ll see you at the end.

_November 2000_

Tony hated galas. Always had. Always will. He hated all the fan fair and dramatics. He hated all the old Alphas breathing down his neck. He hated being forced to play the part of the playboy industrialist CEO Omega when it made him uncomfortable. In all honesty, Tony would much rather be back at home with his friends building robots. But that wasn’t really in the cards half the time. Rhodey was always away on Air Force business, Happy had his hand full keeping the weirdos away from him. And Pepper, well she’d only been hired on as Tony’s PA for about three months and they didn’t know each other enough quite yet.

So most galas Tony fell into the playboy persona that Obi had told him was the right thing to be and would make Howard proud. There was always some pretty Alpha or Beta hanging off his arms and Tony didn’t really like it. Sure he liked the sex. He liked sex a lot. But he was getting tired of one night stands, booze, and cheap thrills.

But. Despite everything, Tony was still forced to go to galas. Even when he probably shouldn’t.

The night Tony met his mate he was being forced by Obi to go to this gala SI was holding for something or other. Tony wasn’t really listening to what he was being told. His heat was about to start and it was making his brain all fuzzy. Obi knew that his heat was about to start. Why the hell was he being forced to attend the gala? Tony would only find out years later why, but at the moment he had slightly more pressing matters to attend to.

Tony spent the first part of the night socializing and dancing with various aristocrats. He was handed glasses of alcohol to drink that he just sipped on. He didn’t need to be drunk right before his heat began. He’d just end up super sick in the end and nobody wanted that. But all in all, Tony was bored and miserable and expected to stay that way for the entire evening.

Until he walked in.

Tony didn’t remember much about what he looked like. All he remembered was that he had long hair that was artfully tied back, a metal arm that made Tony drool, a silver chain around his neck, and blue eyes that Tony could get lost in. The two noticed each other from across the room. They didn’t even have to talk or get close to each other before they clicked together. The Alpha walked towards Tony and he was instantly enveloped in his scent. Ice and gunmetal. Just from the scent alone, they were able to tell that this was meant to be. They were true mates. A perfect match.

“Hi.” Breathed out Tony as the Alpha got closer.

“Hi.” Spoke the strange Alpha and Tony felt himself beginning to slowly slip into his heat. 

“I’m Tony.”

“I’m… I’m James.” Spoke the Alpha. His voice sounded gravely like it hadn’t been used in a long time.

Because Tony had slipped into that hormonal high, he didn’t recall much of what happened next. One moment he and James were circling around each other on the dance floor and the nest they were back at the penthouse suite Tony had rented for the week. There was kissing. So much kissing. It was as if James was trying to claim every part of him.

Clothes were quickly scattered around the bedroom as James ran his hands over Tony’s body. The metal arm was making his skin tingle. James covered Tony’s neck and chest in deep purple hickies while his flesh hand prodded at Tony’s entrance causing slick to pour out and for Tony’s legs to open as far as they could go.

Tony didn’t need much prep at all as his heat settled in for the next three days. It took James no time at all in making sure that Tony was nice and open for him. That was another thing Tony remembered about meeting his mate. He had an amazing cock. It was large and long and stretched Tony in all the right ways.

Their first round was quick and dirty with both coming quickly was their hormones drove them to mate. James’s knot fit just right and had Tony screaming and shedding a few tears. But James was gentle. Tony remembered him being gentle. Even though they’d just met Tony felt so loved. He’d never felt that before. He’d grown up with an Alpha father who was abusive and dismissive of Tony because he was an Omega and smarter than him. It felt great to feel loved. 

The next three days were spent in a heat filled haze. Tony honestly didn’t remember much. He remembered James calling him his “pretty Omega” and saying things such as “gotta keep you safe.”, and “can’t let them get you.” Tony would only learn what he was talking about years later, but during his heat, his mind didn’t care. All he cared about was that his mate was taking care of him. That he felt loved and cherished and full. So, so full. He’d never shared his heat with another before. He just didn’t trust anyone not to take advantage. This was the first heat Tony had had since he hit puberty where he felt any kind of satisfaction. 

Tony's heat was a whirlwind of sensations and emotions. There were times where things got hot and heavy. Where Tony was screaming and James was crying out his name. And then there were times where they were calm. Where Tony laid in James’s arms and just took a moment to relax. They didn’t talk much. Or maybe they did. Tony didn’t remember. All he knew was that James made him feel things he had never felt before. He was terribly sad when his heat came to an end three days after it had begun. Tony would have liked it to go on forever if he had his way. 

But despite what one may believe, Tony rarely actually got what he wanted.

Tony woke up after his heat all alone with a mating mark on his neck, a pup in his belly, and a silver chain around his neck with the words “I’ll return to you.” Written on a pink sticky note.

He didn’t see his Alpha again until almost 16 years later.


	2. After

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter two! Who’s ready for a long ass chapter. A lot is going to happen so be ready. I hope you’re ready. So, let's get into this. I’ll see you at the end.

_April 2016_

“GIVE ME A BREAK!”

The air was tense and Tony started down Steve. Tony was absolutely exhausted. He hadn’t gotten any sort of sleep for the past week dealing with the accords, the death of his Aunt Peggy, not being able to attend her funeral, being blamed for Ultron by some lady at a presentation he had to give, helping Peter finish his school project, and now he had to deal with Steve and his merry band not wanting to sign the accords even though he’d been trying to make them more favourable for months.

Needless to say Tony was running on fumes.

But he was at the point where he knew that Steve wasn’t going to listen to him. He couldn’t even explain his reasoning on anything such as keeping the little witch at the compound. It wasn’t like the public was out for her blood or anything after her little stunt not long ago. Steve also wasn’t going to listen to Tony as long as his precious Bucky was in custody and undergoing a psychological evaluation to figure out the best course of action. There was something familiar about Bucky that Tony couldn’t quite put his finger on. Like sure he’d been brought up with stories of the Howling Commandos since he was a child. But there was something about Bucky that Tony just couldn’t put his finger on. 

There was also the fact that he and Steve just didn’t get along on a good day. He liked Peter, thank fuck. It was impossible to not like Peter. Peter was Tony’s pride and joy. He was also the only thing Tony had of his mate along with that chain which he always wore. He was surprised when he found out he was pregnant after that heat, but Tony didn’t regret anything. Peter was the best thing to ever happen to Tony. His sweet little Omega pup was the reason Tony quit drinking and partying even though the media still tried to paint him as a partying slut. Peter was the reason that Tony fought as hard as he did to keep the world safe. Peter was the reason Tony tried so hard to get home after his kidnapping. Peter was Tony’s entire world. Sure, Peter had tried to lie to him about the whole Spider-Man thing after the bite had happened but Tony still loved him and did everything in his power to make sure his pup was safe. He didn’t know where he’d be without his pup. Probably a mess because his mate wasn’t around. He never did see him after that heat. Sometimes Tony was horribly mad and sad about that, but he knew there had to be a reason why his Alpha had left.

There just had to be.

“Here. Keep the set together.” Seethed Steve as he set down the pen that Tony had passed him and left the room in a huff. Tony just sat there rubbing at his chest and left arm. He felt oddly numb. He really needed a nap. Like, really needed a nap. Natasha came over to check in on him and Tony just told her he was fine. He was fine, right? He’d be fine. He always was whether he liked it or not. 

Tony didn’t have much time to dwell on things before an alarm went off and officials came in to tell them that the Winter Soldier had broken containment and that the coms and cameras were down. Now that wasn’t good. That really wasn’t good. Tony knew that the Winter Soldier was dangerous. He also knew that he was essentially a POW and deserved some of the best help out there but if he had been triggered into fighting then he needed to be stopped before people got hurt. 

“Please tell me you brought a suit.” Spoke Natasha as they started running off towards the main hub of the building.

“Sure did. It’s a lovely Tom Ford, three-piece, two-button. I’m an active Duty Non-Combatant. I’m not even supposed to be fighting. I’m supposed to be taking care of Peter.”

Just then Tony’s baby cousin Sharron Carter showed up and told them to follow here. He remembered helping take care of her when she was a kid. Hell, she and Tony were actually pretty close. She was one of the first to hold Peter once Tony allowed people to hold his pup. She’d made a special trip just to visit him. So, when she’d told Tony that she was sort of dating Steve he had some feeling about that. He didn’t say anything though. As long as Sharron was happy then he’d be alright. He knew that Sharron could take care of herself if Steve ever decided to act like even more of an ass then normal.

“Alright, I’m in position.” Spoke Tony over the coms units he’d fixed up on the way over. Around the corner, he could see the winter soldier wailing on a few poor UN officers.

Something felt… off as Tony crouched there on the floor and got his watch gauntlet ready to go. His mind felt hazy and he kept smelling ice and gunmetal. There was something familiar and comforting about the scent. It was driving Tony crazy. Maybe he was tired to the point of hallucinating. Fuck he needed a nap.

All hell broke loose pretty quick as Tony saw Natasha and Sharron enter the fray. Tony knew he had to enter and do something before more people got hurt. So, Tony ran out from his spot and shot a repulsor blast off just over the soldier's shoulder. He didn’t actually want to hurt him.

But what happened next neither had expected.

As the soldier turned around to face Tony, Tony was hit by a strong sense of déjà vu. He knew that scent. He knew that walk. He knew that face. The soldier… Bucky… He was his mate. His mate he’d been missing for so long.

Tony took a few steps forward and watched as his mate’s eyes widened both in recognition and pain. The soldier grabbed at his hair and started pulling while chanting “Get out. Get out. Get out.” repeatedly. It made Tony worry. Was his mate alright? He needed to know. So, Tony walked in closer while chaos swirled around them. He made it close enough to touch his mate on the shoulder and for his mate to finally look him in the eyes. Instantly the soldier seemed calmer. 

But what should have been a lovely reunion was quickly ruined by the sound of an explosion to Tony’s right. Neither had time to react as the wall was blown out and the two were sent sprawling to the ground. Tony felt his arm get cut up and his head hit a table leg on the way down. He instantly felt dizzy as he collided with the floor. Tony’s vision went all hazy and everything seemed to hurt. 

Maybe a nap wasn’t such a bad idea. His mate was here. He’d protect him. Yeah, a nap sounded great. 

The second Tony had passed out the soldier, No! James, was on top of his mate growling at anyone who came near him. His mate was hurt. He had to protect his mate. There were too many people around him and his mate. He had to get him to safety. He couldn’t let them get his mate. James saw a few somewhat familiar faces in the crowd such as little Natalia from the Red Room and his Stevie, but he couldn’t trust them. Not in his feral state of mind. It wasn’t the soldier in control, it was pure instinct to protect his mate.

“Everyone back the fuck off!” shouted Natasha as she noticed more people come in. “He’s gone feral. You can’t get near him.”

“But why would he go feral?” asked T’Challa as he looked at how the soldier was crouched around Stark, holding the unconscious man close.

“Because his mate is hurt. We need to get them somewhere quiet and soft where they can be alone or this isn’t going to end well.”

“Wait! What?” shouted Steve and that prompted another growl from the soldier.

“I’ll explain later, right now we need to get them secluded enough for Barnes to calm down. He’s completely feral right now. Putting him back in custody and away from his mate isn’t going to help anybody.”

They were very lucky that there were a few doctors in attendance who agreed with Natasha’s assessment. They were able to get permission from some of the higher-ups to try and lead Barnes and Tony to a small water closet that was soon to be demolished to be turned into a seating alcove. Although It didn’t happen without a fight. Secretary Ross was very opposed to not having Barnes in separate custody. Thankfully, he was outvoted because everyone knew it was unnecessarily cruel to separate a mated pair when one was feral and the other hurt.

There was a lot of scrambling to make sure there was space for Tony and Barnes once they got to the room. Blankets and pillows from around the building were piled in and a medical kit was placed in the corner along with food and water because it varied greatly how long an Alpha could potentially be feral for.

The hard part was actually getting them to the room. It was Steve who was the successful one in getting them there. Some unconscious part of James’s brain trusted the other Alpha enough to be lead to the room. James scooped his mate safely into his arms and marched toward the room. The second he arrived there he slammed the door shut with his foot, turned on the light and set his mate on the ground while he prepared their nest. His mate was hurt. He needed a nest to be comfortable and warm in. The second he was done, James placed Tony in the middle of the nest and got to work treating his wounds. The one on his head wasn’t bad at all. Just a little bump. It was the exhaustion that knocked him out more than anything. But, when it came to dressing Tony’s arm, well, that was a whole different ordeal.

In order to take care of his arm, James had to take off Tony’s jacket and shirt. That was when he was the huge circular scar that marred Tony’s chest. There were also smaller scars around it and James instantly started to worry. What in the Hell had happened to his mate!? James quickly dressed the little cuts on Tony’s arm before he swaddled him in a blanket and curled around him. Nobody was ever going to hurt his mate. Not on his watch.

It was two hours before Tony began to stir. Not nearly long enough to get some good sleep but he was hurting. His head and arm hurt and he just felt generally uncomfortable. James was quick to pick up on Tony’s movement and he was quick to lull him back to sleep. Tony went willingly. His Alpha was there. He’d made sure everything was alright. Two hours later Tony was again starting to wake up but this time it was a little more permanent. 

“Ow.” Grumbled the genius as he moved around in his blanket cocoon and slowly opened his eyes. He was in a small, closet-like room surrounded by blankets, pillows, and comfort. There were arms around him and Tony was absolutely enveloped in the scent of safety. He carefully turned around to take a look at who was giving off the scent. Tony was met with a pair of soft blue eyes that made him feel things.

“Alpha? Is really you?”

James nodded and Tony curled in closer so he could bury his head in James’s chest. He felt like home.

“What happened? Why are we in a closet?”

“You got hurt. Can’t let them get to you. Won’t let you end up like me. Gotta protect my Omega.” Grumbled James and Tony sighed in his arms. Feral. He was definitely feral.

“I’m alright. I’m alright now with you. You did good. Kept me nice and safe big guy.” Soothed Tony. He knew the best way to bring an Alpha back from being feral was to prove that he was alright.

“I can’t let them get you. I can’t.” spoke James his voice rising a bit in a sob. He was starting to come down and everything was getting to him.

“You won't. They won't get me. I’m safe. We’re both safe.”

Tony wasn’t sure how long they laid there in the blanket cocoon. It must have been a while because James was eventually able to come down completely so they could actually hold a conversation. As James was coming down, the conversations varied between trivial things such as the weather, food, and books. Just little things that allowed James to focus on pleasant memories. Tony ended up promising to buy James a whole bunch of plums once they got out of this unfortunate situation. But, now that James had calmed down, it was time for some more serious talks.

“Where did you go? You left right after my heat. Why?” asked Tony and James just bowed his head so it rested on Tony’s bare shoulders. He hugged the Omega around the middle and just breathed for a moment before talking. He owed his Omega an explanation for his leaving. Plus now that all the dots had been somewhat connected James was more than aware that his mate was a genius. Maybe he could think of a way to help him.

“I um… I had a moment of clarity a few weeks before we met. HYDRA messed up on of their mind wipes but still sent me on a mission.” Sighed James and he felt Tony’s hands tighten a bit around him. “I… I began to remember things… I think. I just knew I needed to try and get away from them.”

“But why were you at the gala? That’s a strange spot to be hiding in?” asked Tony as he moved a hand up to pet through the Alpha’s hair.

“HYDRA was still very deep underground at the time. Killing a whole bunch of rich people at a gala would have caused too much of a scene. It was a safe bet and I got to meet you. I couldn’t stay though. I couldn’t let them get you too.” James smiled a bit at the end as he raised his eyes to look at Tony. “They may have caught me a few days after I left but knowing I had a mate out there kept me sane enough. Gave me something to hold onto. Remembering your scent helped me hold out hope that I could get out even when the wipes got worse.”

“What… what do I smell like to you?”

“Like steel and sugar. Sweet and earthy. You smell like mine.”

“Why… why didn’t you try to find me after HYDRA fell?” asked Tony. He just wanted information so he could better understand his mate. Tony was far from heatless and his heart broke as he learned about what James had been through.

“I… I didn’t remember much. I still don’t. I knew I had a mate and I remembered your scent and your eyes but that was really it. HYDRA was pretty thorough in their wipes after my little escape.”

The two were silent for a little while after that. Neither really knew what to say. Tony, well he knew about the wipe and such from Rogers and Romanov’s little data dump a few years back. It had been horrifying to read but it was even worse now knowing that James, Cap’s Bucky, was his mate. Was the father of his pup. It hurt that he wasn’t able to do anything to protect him from what had happened.

“I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry that all happened to you. You didn’t deserve any of it. I wish I could have protected you.” Spoke Tony. There were a few tears in his eyes that James noticed. They just ended up hugging each other tighter.

“It’s not your fault. It’s not your fault.” Sighed James. He too had tears in his eyes.

They just sat there and cried for a bit before Tony spoke up again. 

“Why aren’t I wearing a shirt?” Asked Tony as he looked at James. “Like, I have zero complaints about not having a shirt on but if it’s all the same I’d like to know where it went.”

“Needed to take it off to take care of your arm.” Spoke James but as Tony looked at him he noticed that James was focused on the scars covering the center of his chest. He brought his metal hand up to trace them before finally looking up to meet Tony in the eye.

“Who did this to you?” worried James and Tony bowed his head. He didn’t like talking about Afghanistan but he owed it to James. He deserved to know.

So, with a heavy heart, Tony began explaining everything. About how he was in Afghanistan doing a weapons demonstration. How his own weapons were used against him. How he had open-heart surgery in a cave with no anesthetic. He spoke about the pain and Yinson and the waterboarding and the three months of horror. He talked about his escape and walking through the desert to finally being found by his Rhodey. He talked about building a new suit and destroying all his weapons and finding out that Stane was the one to deal under the table and call the hit on him. How they ended up fighting and how he and Pepper ultimately killed Stane to make sure that his treachery ended. It was a lot to take in and both had tears in their eyes as Tony told his story.

“Where is it now? The reactor?” asked James as he laid down and pulled Tony into his arms. He needed to keep him safe. Hearing the story was causing him to go a little bit feral again.

“Gone. Found a way to safely remove it. It a little bit easier to breathe now but my chest is still compromised as well as my immune system. I get sick really easily.” 

“My Omega. My little phoenix. Rising from the ashes over and over again.” Purred James as he once again wrapped Tony up in blankets. Both were feeling tired again. 

“Well If I’m a phoenix then you’re my Bucky Bear. Strong and healing. Strong enough to escape and come back to me.”

Tony ended up falling asleep again. This whole situation was quite the ordeal for both of them and after the week he’d had. Sleep was most welcome. James kept guard over his mate. He needed to know that he was safe. Although he did manage to have a little bit of a nap. He slept better with Tony close by for the hour he was asleep then he had in almost 70 years.

Well, until they were woken by a knock on the door.

Meanwhile just outside the closet, everyone else was trying to figure out what to do next.

“How could he not tell me that Bucky is his mate! How could he!” Shouted Steve as he paced the halls. His hands were balled up in fists and he looked like he was about 30 seconds away from breaking down the door and causing problems. 

“Steve, most Omega’s have hazy memories around their heats. Remember Tony told us they met during his heat. The little details Tony has were all he remembered.” Explained Natasha.

“He should have told me! Bucky is my best friend! How could he.”

Natasha wanted so badly to slap him. Where Barnes was concerned, trying to get Steve to understand anything was like talking to a brick wall.

“Look Steve, I know that sex ed was different back when you were a kid but I can’t believe you haven’t been educated on heats. Omegas never remember much. That’s why there are very strict laws protecting them. What Tony remembered and told us was all he knew. He probably didn’t even realize his mate was even Barnes until they caught each other’s scent like 20 minutes ago. This isn’t either of their faults.”

“But he should have told me.”

Natasha did slap him that time but with Steve’s strength, it did nothing. So, with a huff, Natasha turned around and took out her phone. She had a call to make. 

“Who are you calling?” snapped Steve as he looked over at Natasha.

“Happy. Peter needs to be here. If Barnes is feral its good to have pups around. Plus Peter smells like Tony. It’ll help.” Explained Natasha. Luckily, Steve didn’t argue that time. He liked Peter. He was a good kid. There was always something familiar about the pup that Steve couldn’t quite put his finger on. Maybe he’d finally get to figure it out.

Natasha was glad that Happy was able to procure one of the Quinjets to bring Peter to Vienna. It would have taken them nine hours just to fly there. And that wasn’t taking into account the time it would take to pick up Peter from school and for him to pack things up and get to the airport. Realistically it probably would have taken around 11 hours with how forgetful Peter could be about packing things. He was like Tony in that sense. His brain never really stopped running and jumping from idea to idea.

So, with the jet involved, it took Happy and Peter five hours to arrive in Vienna and another hour after that to actually get to the building with all the construction and security around. Natasha and Rhodey had to help let them in. 

“Aunty Nat, where’s Momma? Happy told me he needed help and that’s why I’m here. He’s not hurt again his he?” worried Peter as Natasha lead him down the hall to the closet where Tony and James were. 

“Your mom is fine. A little bit banged up but he’s fine.”

“Then why am I here? Mom never pulls me out of school when I have decathlon practice?” worried Peter as he tugged at the straps of his backpack.

“I was the one to tell Happy to pull you out. Now, I need you to go into that room. Your mom’s in there with someone very special and they need your help. Alright, Pete? Can you do that?” asked Natasha and Peter nodded.

Peter looked between Natasha, Steve, and all the others standing in the hallway. The amount of firepower surrounding the little room made him worried. But Peter was brave. He was Spider-Man. He’d be fine. So, he took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

The second the knocking began James was awake and on high alert. He sat up quickly causing Tony to wake up. Tony sat up with bleary eyes but paid the knocking no mind. It was probably just Cap trying to come in to make sure that Tony hadn’t done anything to his best friend. Cap was very strange where James was concerned. Both sort of waited patiently for the door to open. James growled as the door slowly opened but Tony smiled once he saw who it was.

“Mamma? Aunty Nat said you were in here with someone special. Also Uncle Steve looks like he’s about to have an aneurism and Uncle Rhodey is talking to a lot of scary-looking people in suits.” Spoke Peter shyly as he came into the room, closed the door, and set his backpack by the door.

“Peter, come here Bambino.” Smiled Tony as he opened his arms. He felt James stiffen beside him as Peter hesitantly walked the short distance over and curled up in the nest with Tony. James looked very confused but a little less anxious. Peter was still a pup and an Omega pup at that. He wasn’t a threat to him. Although it was when Peter walked in that Tony realized that he hadn’t told James that they had a pup. Oops.

“Mamma, what happened? Are you hurt?” worried Peter.

“I’m fine Pete. Just a little banged up. A bomb went off but I’m just fine. Just some cuts I promise.”

Peter was going to ask about the strange Alpha in the room when said Alpha leaned in closer and looked Peter dead in the eyes before scenting him and turning to Tony.

“He… He smells like… like us.” Spoke James. “He… he smells like me!”

“That’s because he’s ours. He’s ours, James. He’s yours.” Soothed Tony as he saw James’s hands shaking a bit.

“Wait! Mamma? Is he…? Is? You found him!” asked Peter as he looked between Tony and James.

“Yeah. Yeah, I did. Peter, this is your father, James. James, this is Peter James Stark. He’s our pup.”

“I… I have a pup? I have a son? He’s so… so…”

James’s voice began to catch and a few tears began to fall from his eyes. He hesitantly reached out for Peter and amazingly, for how shy Peter normally was around new people, Peter reached back. It took seconds before James was pulling Peter safely into his arms and sobbing. Peter looked a little bewildered but Tony just smiled sadly and wrapped the two in a blanket. 

“I have a son! You’re my son!” sobbed James as he rocked him and Peter back and forth. Peter just looked over at his Mamma who just nodded back at him. Peter didn’t even hesitate to curl up in his father’s arms once Tony had confirmed that yes, James was Peter’s father. He’d always wished that his father was around. He knew that his Mamma, even though he could never remember much, had missed him deeply. Peter was glad that he was here now.

“Where were you? Why did you leave?” asked Peter and James sobbed just a little bit harder.

“Some very bad people took him and hurt him. They hurt him for a very, very long time. But he’s free now and he’s never going back to them” explained Tony.

“How… how long?” worried Peter. He didn’t like seeing people get hurt if they were good people.

“70 odd years.” Peter looked surprised at that answer. Surely his Mamma had to be joking. His father didn’t look much older than 35!

“Peter, you’re father is James Bucannon Barnes. Cap’s best bud. HYDRA got him and hurt him. But no more. No more.”

Peter’s eyes widened at the news. He could hardly believe it but with the way their lives were, it had to be true. Tears started to well up in Peter’s eyes as he snuggled further into his father’s embrace. All three were crying and hugging as for the very first time, their entire family was safe and together. 

Meanwhile, back outside of the closest, Steve was once again pacing and worrying.

“What’s that sound?” asked Steve as he looked between the door and Natasha.

“That Steve, is the sound of your friend learning that he’s a father for the first time.” Smiled Natasha and Steve immediately stopped his pacing.

“What!?”

“Peter is Tony and Barnes’s pup. Remember, Tony said that he got pregnant during the heat he shared with his mate. Well, Barnes is his mate and the dates match up. Peter is Barnes’s pup.” Explained Natasha and Steve started to turn red with anger.

“What! Why didn’t he tell me! Bucky is my brother! Why the hell didn’t he tell me!” shouted Steve and Natasha were pretty sure the other Alpha was starting to go feral himself. He was normally more level headed. Either that or he needed and nap and a juice box. 

“For fucks sake we really need to get you enrolled in some comprehensive sex ed lessons.” Sighed Natasha. She was sick and tired of Steve’s bullshit. Hopefully, Rhodey would have some better insight into the situation. He was good at bureaucracy and pretty darn smart. He had to be, to be pretty much brothers with Tony. People tended to overlook how smart Rhodey was just because he was in the army. But he was actually very smart. He’d graduated from MIT with a master's in aeronautics. If anyone was going to be able to help Tony and James in this situation it was him.

A lot of talking went down before anything actually happened on the outside. A lot of shouting happened too. Not only were the Avengers and co trying to make their separate cases on what should happen, but different members of the accords council had their own opinions of the matter. The most vocal was Prince T’Challa. His father had been killed in the bombing and he wanted justice.

Well, until Sharron managed to find the security footage from the outside during the bombing as well some security footage from James’s supposed psychological evaluation where shit hit the fan. With FRIDAY’s help, they managed to match up the faces of the psychiatrists and the bomber. And here was the kicker. The man who entered James’s cell wasn’t the man that had been vetted and hired to do the evaluation. FRIDAY was able to get information on the man in question. His name was Helmut Zemo and he was from Sokovia and at present, very dangerous.

A task force was immediately sent off to detain the man before he could cause any more deaths and damage.

So, with James cleared of the bombing, they laid the question of what to do next. James had still committed atrocities as the Winter Solider under HYDRA’s control. A huge argument could be made that he was the worlds longest lasting POW with all the information Rhodey, Steve, and Natasha were able to provide the UN and Ross with about HYDRA and the brainwashing. But, more then anything it was agreed on by almost everybody that James Barnes needed a proper evaluation and serious therapy if they wanted to proceed anywhere. Steve, well he wasn’t too fond of the idea because of how mental health was viewed when he was a kid. He had to have things explained to him by Sam for him to agree for things to move forward.

Although Steve's opinion on the matter wasn’t really relevant. The decision on what to do lay firmly in Tony and James’s hands. They were a mated pair. There were laws protecting them especially because they were true mates.

So, with some decisions made and others still on the table, it was time to see if James had calmed down enough to let some of the others in. It was decided that Rhodey and Steve would be the ones to enter. Rhodey because he was close to Tony and Steve because he was close to James. It had been hours since James had gone feral. Hopeful with Tony and Peter there with him he’d be calm enough to talk.

“Is everything alright in there or are we still at DEFCON red?” called Rhodey as he slowly opened the door. Steve was right behind him with a small scowl on his face.

“We’re fine Rhodey. Everyone’s pretty calm for the moment.” Called back Tony after getting a nod from James. Peter just stayed where he lay in the back of the nest silently dozing. That kid could sleep through anything. Rhodey and Steve entered the room and sat along the opposite wall. Although Steve did try to get in closer but Rhodey held him back.

“Buck? Are you doing alright? Stark hasn’t tried anything has he?” asked Steve and he was shot a few scathing looks.

“I’m fine Steve. Still a little jittery but having Tony and Peter close is helping.” Smiled James and Tony reached over and took his hand in his.

“I still can’t believe that you didn’t tell me that Bucky is your mate. I can’t believe you Stark. You shouldn’t be keeping secrets.” Chastised Steve and Tony scowled back. 

“I didn’t know Rogers. What I told you guys way back when was all I remembered. I told you guys everything. I wasn’t aware that your Bucky was my James until today.”

“But you should have told me!” shouted back Steve. Luckily he didn’t wake Peter.

“Dude, did nobody give you nay sex ed talks once you were defrosted?” deadpanned Rhodey as he and the others glared at Steve. 

“Why does everyone keep asking me that?”

“Because it was confirmed in 1952 that Omegas have memory gaps during their heats. It means that they don’t remember most things and have trouble consenting to things. That’s why there are such strict laws protecting Omegas during their heats. That’s why Tony didn’t realize that Barnes here is his mate until they were able to meet again and scent each other. Has nobody caught you up?” 

Steve just looked at the floor. He didn’t want to answer so he quickly changed the subject.

“Alright, well, we came here because we need to figure out what to do next. There’s been talks of a trial and integration into society. I’m… I’m worried about all of that?”

“Rhodey, can you add some specifics to that?” asked Tony. He wasn’t sure he trusted any of Steve’s judgment when it came to James.

“The UN wants to give a proper psychological evaluation. The man who was in their earlier wasn’t the UN psychologist. His name was Helmut Zemo. We don’t know why he was there.” Started Rhodey but James interrupted him.

“He knew my words.”

“Your words? What words?” asked Tony worriedly.

“HYDRA had these words. If they’re said in a specific order they… they trigger a reaction and the soldier comes out. I… I can’t control myself while under them. Today was the first time I’ve gotten out of the control on my own and that’s because I smelled you.” Worried James and Tony leaned in so he could hug his mate.

“Hey, well figure it out. There’s got to be a way to remove the words. We could probably try using something I’ve been working on called Binary Augmented Retro Framing. It’s a pair of glasses and projectors that are supposed to help people work through trauma. They’re pretty neat. Although I did have to fire an employee because he wanted to use the tech for psychological warfare. But never mind that. Maybe with my tech and a good therapist we can neutralize the words.”

“You think?” asked James, his eyes shining with hope.

“We’d have to talk to an expert consult before we do anything. I don’t want to potentially make things worse.”

James nodded. The fact that his Omega could potentially help him was a huge weight off his shoulders.

“Well, at least we’ve got that going for us. I’m sure we’ll have a better idea of how to proceed after the evaluation. I’m sure the person doing it will be good. The Accords Committee has a huge vetting process since the psychologist will be working closely with the Avengers.” Spoke Tony. He knew it was risky bringing up the accords but James was here now so maybe Cap would actually listen to him.

“I don’t like the accords. They tie our hands. The safest hand are our own.” Snarked Steve and everyone looked at him, even James. James, who knew nothing of the accords was worried about Steve’s rhetoric. 

“Cap, you can’t think like that. It’s dangerous. I know you don’t like the accords but you’re being a little bit too intense.” Spoke Rhodey and Tony nodded along. James just stayed out of it. He didn’t know what the accords were but he would be sure to ask Tony about them after all this was dealt with. 

“Steve, I’m not saying the accords are perfect. They aren’t. But they’re here and we cant get rid of them. If we sign at least we have a hand on the wheel and can make amendments. That’s the whole reason they want us to sign. So we can be accountable. The people are scared of us, Steve. They’re scared because we have no oversight.” Soke Tony and Steve’s eyes widened a bit.

“People are scared of us? But we’re the Avengers?”

“They are and they will continue to be until we have an accountability system put in place. That’s why Maximoff was confined to the compound. People want her blood after what happened in Lagos. We need a vetting process that isn’t internal like with little miss spider’s evaluation of me. She made that when I was dying by the way and she completely ignored Peter the whole time as she tried to push me into increasingly more dangerous stuff. And what made her qualified? Nothing. This way we have professionals helping us. Not agents. Trained professionals!” argued Tony. He was shaking a bit and it was causing James’s instincts to flare up. He pulled the blanket closer around Tony hoping that it would help. 

“Just read them. That’s all I’m asking. Just read them. Get help understanding the things you don’t but I have a feeling you won't need the help. The version of the accords as it currently stands is written in a way for normal civilians to understand because that’s why they’re there. For the civilians.” 

“Fine.” Growled Steve. He didn’t like it but it if could potentially make things easier for James then he would.

“Who’s Maximoff?” asked James as he looked over at Tony. He knew that the Avengers were large with many members, but the name sounded very familiar.

“She was a HYDRA agent who was responsible for triggering me into making Ultron. I don’t know if you’ve heard about that. I’ll explain it all later.” Explained Tony and Steve’s face went red. 

“She’s just a kid!”

“No, Peter is just a kid. Maximoff is a fully grown adult who made her own decision to join HYDRA just to kill me.”

“But you killed her parents!”

“No, I didn’t! I did my own digging after that information came to light. The bomb that killed her parents wasn’t even one of mine. It was a knock-off made by Stane when he was double-dealing. He was the one to make it and sell it to none other than HYDRA. They were the ones to kill her parents. Not me. And the kicker is that when I told her this and provided proof she blasted me through a wall.” Shouted Tony, waking Peter up. Although the kid was still half asleep and just proceeded to roll over and lay his head on James’s lap.

“I… I remember her. HYDRA used to give her agents she could torture just for fun.” Interrupted James as he ran his hands through his son’s hair. “She’s not safe to be around.”

“Wanda’s on our side Bucky. She’s fine.” Assured Steve but James didn’t really believe him. He saw first hand what the little witch was capable of. He didn’t trust her, especially if she hurt Tony.

“Look we an argue about Maximoff later. She’s the least of our worries. Captain, I think you should go read the accords while I go inform the UN that Barnes here is alright to do the evaluation. Got it?” spoke Rhodey as he effectively ended the entire argument.

Soon after Rhodey and Steve made their exit although Steve looked like he wanted to drag James back out with him. Rhodey had to practically drag the other Alpha out with him leaving the little family alone for a few more hours until a proper psychologist came to talk to James. And this time they were the real deal. 

Because James was coming down from going feral, Tony was allowed to stay with him for the evaluation just to keep James from going feral again. Neither had any problems with this arrangement. James didn’t want Tony away from his side for too long and Tony didn’t want to leave James while he was feeling vulnerable. Peter was not allowed in the room during the session. He didn’t need to hear the things that were going to be talked about. Rhodey took him to get some food and possibly ice cream. Rhodey always gave the kid too much sugar when he was in charge of him.

As the session started the psychologist began asking questions, and to James’s credit, he answered. He told them everything he remembered from falling off the train to the torture and brainwashing that had occurred. Tony, for his part, stayed silent, only jumping in to give the psychologist information they’d gathered from HYDRA and to help James stay calm.

There were tears. Lots of tears. Tony felt horrible hearing all the things that James remembered. He hated that his mate had suffered. He hated that he hadn’t been able to save him. Tony hadn’t been able to save a lot of people over the years, but not being able to save his mate made him feel the worst by far.

Hopefully, now he could make things better.

After the evaluation was over they were escorted to a new room in a nearby hotel where all the Avengers were now staying. Peter was already in the room waiting for them with a huge bag of candy. Tony was definitely going to have to talk to Rhodey about that.

The second they got into the room James all but flopped down onto the bed with a groan. It had been so long since he’d had a bed this comfortable. It was absolutely divine. Peter was quick to follow suit along with Tony. Peter prattled on about his afternoon seeing Vienna with his Uncle Rhodey. His cheery demeanour helped James calm down after the afternoon he’d had. Knowing that his pup had had a fun day and that his mate was safe was one of the best feelings in the world. He never thought he’d get to feel like this when he’d fallen off that train back during the war.

It was nice.

The little family spent the evening together in the room just sitting and talking. They got room service and Tony made sure that there was extra to accommodate James and Peter’s super metabolisms. A few officers came by to check in and make sure that things were alright and to deliver the results of the evaluation. The news brought James to tears and a huge smile to Tony’s face.

James Bucannon Barnes was deemed safe enough to be released into the Avengers custody. He was proven innocent of his action over the past few days as new information about HYDRA came to light. There would be a trial for the crimes he committed as the Winter Solider under HYDRA’s brainwashing but it was more of a formality. James was a prisoner of war and forced into the acts he committed. He’d be released and acquitted of all charges with all the evidence out there.

And as for his mental health, once they got back to America a specialist would be assigned to James so that he could start treatment with Tony’s B.A.R.F. tech. The sooner they got the words removed the sooner everyone, including James himself, would be safe.

It was going to be a long road to recovery and integration, but this was a step.

So, with James cleared and allowed to return back to America, there was really only one big thing still left to figure out and that was some certain Avengers standing with the accords. Because of some certain things coming to light thanks to Rhodey and his ability to dig up information like a bloodhound, Ross was on suspension from the council. Maybe he shouldn’t have hidden the fact that he had a secret floating prison and was only in this to get at Banner if they ever found him. So, with Ross gone it actually made it easier for Steve, Sam, and Wanda back home to get help reading the accords and understanding them. Tony had to admit that it was absolutely wrong of Ross to impose such a short deadline on the signing when the original agreement had been three weeks. But Ross was human garbage and Tony’s hands had been tied when it came to the original presentation of the accords. He’d had a panic attack just a few hours prior to everyone leaning about them and was in no place mentally to even counter Ross the first time around.

It wasn’t fair and Tony was so fucking glad that Rhodey was doing what he did best and turned the situation more to their favour.

The next morning Steve came by to visit and talk things out about the accords. He wanted safeguards for the Avengers and Tony completely understood. He wanted them too but he also wanted accountably. Ever since Peter was born Tony had strived for accountably so he could set a good example for his son. Even more so after Afghanistan. He understood Steve’s concerns but he also knew that the accords were needed.

For the first time since they’d met, Tony and Steve were able to have an actual civil discussion when he and Sam came into their room to talk about the accords. It could have been because James and Peter were there with Peter doing some school work in the corner and James watching him intently as he tried to learn some new things with his son. He was making up for lost time.

But as for the discussion going on, there was no yelling. There was thoughtful insight. Concerns were raised and questions answered. And Steve and Sam actually listened to Tony unlike how they had back at the compound. Eventually, they came to an agreement. Steve, Sam, and Wanda would sign the accords but would also be the first ones to put for amendments. Tony left that discussion feeling lighter than he had in days. 

The next day was going to be their last day in Vienna before finally being able to return to the states. Everything was set up for James to be able to enter the country legally and the last details were just going through so that they could leave the following morning. Their entire last morning in Vienna had consisted of Peter begging Tony to take him out to see some more of the city. 

James wasn’t allowed to leave the hotel but he didn’t want to stop Peter from enjoying his time in a new city. Steve spent the afternoon with his friend while Tony took Peter out around Vienna for some fun. James may have been disappointed not to be there but he loved seeing the smiles on his mate and pup’s faces. They all spent their last night in Vienna cuddled together in the little nest Tony had made on the bed. They all slept peacefully.

As the sun rose on the new day James sat on the bed with a smile on his face with Tony helped Peter make sure he had all his things packed for the trip home. Tony, even though he was a perpetually late person when it came to taking his own privet jet, had packed the day before. So that just left Peter who was scrambling to make sure he had everything as well as some pictures to show his friend when they got back.

Eventually, though Peter managed to get all his belongings in order and they were able to leave. They made their way down to the hotel lobby where some of the other Avengers were waiting around for them. Steve shot Tony a dirty look for making them late but nobody paid him much mind as they made their way outside to where there were three back cars waiting for them. 

“Come on, let’s go home.” Spoke Tony as he reached out and took James’s hand.

“Home?”

“Yeah. Home.” Smiled Tony and James smiled back.

He had a home now!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy Smoly! It’s been a hot minute since I’ve written a chapter this long for something. So, what do y’all think? Good? I tried my best to cover what needed to before they get back to New York. I think I did alright. I’m happy with it. And if you haven’t figured it out yet, I don’t like Wanda. I like her in the comics but MCU Wanda makes me furious. I hate her. So just be prepared for me not to be too nice to her here. But, moving on, drop me a comment to let me know what you thought of the chapter. I’ll see y’all soon. -Shadows 


	3. Again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heeeeey! Is everyone ready for a new chapter filled with fluff, smut, and angst? That’s a lot for one chapter! Well, that’s what you’re getting. I hope y’all like it. I’ll see you at the end.
> 
> Ps... Happy Thanksgiving to all my fellow Canadians!

James was adjusting pretty alright to living in the tower with Tony and Peter. It was pretty peaceful there since the other Avengers lived in the compound upstate. The only reason Tony lived at the tower was because it was easier for Peter to get to school. Peter always came first.

Most days while Peter was at school, James would sit in the lab with Tony and just absorb what was going on. He remembered absolutely loving science fiction stories when he was younger and walking into Tony’s lab was like walking right onto the pages of his favourite books. He was quickly introduced to Tony’s bots; DUM-E, U, and Butterfingers. They were excitable little things and James loved playing fetch with them.

Tony’s AI FRIDAY was a huge help in making sure that things ran smoothly and that Tony and James were reminded of different appointments and medications. James loved her. She was sassy.

James started therapy and B.A.R.F. treatment a week after he’d arrived at the tower. He hated the treatments. They always left him feeling vulnerable and absolutely exhausted. He’d spend the evenings after treatment curled up with Tony. He couldn’t let his family out of his sight after being forced to deal with the words and things HYDRA did to him. It always left him on edge.

But the good news was that James was making progress. For as much as he hated the sessions, he wanted to do good. He wanted to heal and get better. He wanted so desperately to be rid of HYDRA so that he could be better for his mate and pup. James was willing to put in every ounce of hard work to get to where he wanted to be. And you know what? It was working wonders. James had already successfully eliminated the effects of one of the trigger words. Tony was so proud of him.

When James wasn’t in a session or learning all sorts of new things about his mate and the work he did, he was entertaining Steve and whichever fellow Avenger had shown up at the tower with him to interrupt his afternoon. Most of the time he was alright with this although the day Steve brought Maximoff with him James absolutely refused to be in the same room as her. She was a menace and had hurt his mate with no remorse for her actions. James hated her. He really, really hated her. Luckily, Steve got the memo and didn’t bring the little witch back again. 

Three weeks into James arriving at the tower, James approached Tony with a question. They were blessed with a rare afternoon off and had decided to just spend the time sitting together and learning more about each other. James could honestly say that he loved everything about Tony the more he learned about his mate. How could he not? They were fated to be together. But still, James had some questions and really only Tony knew the answers.

“Doll? I was… I was wondering if you could tell me what Peter was like when he was small. I… I missed so much. I… I missed everything. I want to know what he was like.” Asked James as a few tears formed in his eyes.

Tony looked at his mate and brought him into a hug. He could tell how horrible James felt about missing so much of Peter’s life. The least he could do was share the pictures and videos that he’d amassed over the years. So, Tony nodded and got up to go grab all the photo albums and told FRIDAY to start queueing up old home videos.

Tony and James spent hours going through all the old photos. James listened to each story and watched each video as if his life depended on it. He saw Peter’s first word which was Mamma. He saw Peter take his first steps. He saw this shy little kid light up every time he and Tony played games or did little science experiments together. James was unashamed to say he cried as he watched a video of tiny Peter toddling around playing with a soft red teddy bear.

“Peter was only six and a half when I got kidnapped in Afghanistan. It was really rough on both of us. I managed to make it back right on the day of his seventh birthday. He was so happy to see me. I remember us both crying on the tarmac before Pepper reminded us that there was a much comfier car waiting for us.” Spoke Tony as he looked at a picture that had been taken of the two of them reuniting that fateful day.

“I wish I could have saved you.” Whispered James as he pulled Tony into his arms.

“And I wish I could have saved you.”

“Back in Vienna… you said something about Romanov pushing you into something. What were you talking about?” asked James after a little bit. The question had been nagging at him for a bit. He needed to know if Romanov could be trusted around his mate.

“Oh… that.” Sighed Tony and he leaned into James’s embrace. He didn’t like talking about all this bullshit but James had bared his heart to him and deserved the same courtesy.

“Well, you see… after the whole “I am Iron Man” thing, SHIELD started following me closer than they had been before. They sent Romanov in to do a profile on me to see if I was it for The Avengers. It was alright in theory but in practice… not so much.” Began Tony and James sat there worriedly.

“First of all, I was the only member to be profiled as far as I know of. At least in the way I was. You see, SHIELD sent Romanov in as a spy because I was dying at the time.” James instantly looked worried and was about to growl when Tony spoke again.

“I’m fine now. Don’t worry. It was the reactor causing the problems. I’m all better now. No lasting effects as far as I know. But anyway, she was sent in to spy on me because I was apparently acting erratically. I gave Pepper the spot of CEO. I was giving away things to Rhodey, and Happy. I was spending all my time with Peter or taking out the last of my weapons while also getting the Stark Expo going. SHIELD knew I was dying and that I had a very young pup and yet they did nothing to help until the last minute. In fact Romanov, probably under orders from some undercover HYDRA dick wad, tried to have me get drunk and throw a party for what I thought was going to be my last birthday.” James looked stunned and Tony sighed. He hated talking about all of this but he soldiered on.

“I didn’t throw a party by the way. I’ve been sober since I found out I was pregnant with Peter. No, I spent that night with Rhodey and Peter and we just ate cake and watched movies. I had to kick Romanov out after she kept trying to get me to drink. Again, she was probably under orders but what she did still hurt and had some pretty negative effects on me.”

“The next morning she stabbed me in the neck with a needle while Fury just watched. All I wanted to do was take Peter out for doughnuts as a treat and I couldn’t even do that. Next minute I know I’m stuck on house arrest and forced to go through Howards things to find a cure for myself. I hated every minute of that. Howard Stark was an abusive asshole. He’s why I try so hard to do right by Peter. He deserves better then what I had. What made it all even worse was that they kept Peter away from me until I found a cure. Luckily, it was Happy who had him but it just made everything worse.”

“They should not have taken your pup away from you.” Growled James and Tony sighed.

“I know but I couldn’t fight it at the time. I wish I could have but I was getting sicker and sicker. I was lucky enough to create a new element using some of Howards of notes but that was after having to watch a video of him calling me his worst mistake ever for being an Omega.” James was growling again but Tony kept talking.

“I fixed everything by the way. Reactor got fixed. Rhodey and I stopped Hammer and Vanko at the expo. I got Peter back with me. It all got fixed. Well, until I found out what Romanov wrote about me. I will say, her words hurt a lot and what she wrote affected my standing with the team. It’s probably why Cap and I fight so much.”

“What did she say?” asked James. His hands were shaking from where they were wrapped around Tony’s torso.

“Iron Man: Yes. Tony Stark: Not Recommended.” Sighed Tony as he leant his head against James’s shoulder. “That and a whole bunch of bullshit about being narcissistic and having authority issue and just not being a stable enough person to have a pup. Those words really hurt. Like first of all I just had watched a video of Howard cussing me out from beyond the grave and I was dying. What authority did she have to psychoanalyze me? She’s not a trained professional. That’s why the accords are appointing trained professionals. So that what happened with me never happens again.”

From there the conversation continued into the events of Loki’s invasion and Tony almost dying once more. And after that was Tony’s PTSD and anxiety and the suits. Then there was him pissing off AIM and Killian. Tony was lucky that his house didn’t get blown up while he and Peter were still in it, but he was attacked and blown up while he was driving back from dropping Peter off at a sleepover. That landed him in Tennessee and the whole thing culminated him in almost dying again. By the end, James looked like he was about to have an aneurism. He was so tense after hearing about all the times his mate had almost died. 

Before Tony got to talking about the whole Ultron debacle they took a moment to just hold each other in silence. They both really needed it. James was shaking like a leaf and Tony was feeling worse for wear. They’d both been through so much. It wasn’t fair. They should have had years together. They should have raised Peter together. They should never have gotten hurt in the ways that they had. But life wasn’t always fair. The best they could do was move forward together now that they had each other. 

“The other day you went off at Cap when he brought Maximoff in. Why?” asked Tony as he broke the silence of the room. 

“You said that back in Vienna that the witch hurt you. She was known in HYDRA as a merciless killer. She was always hungry for it. She hurt you and I hate her. What did she do to you doll? I need to know.”

For the first time in his little journey of explanation, he didn’t really want to tell James everything that Maximoff had done to him. But he did. He told James about the vision she’d implanted in his head and how that and the sceptre had created Ultron. He told him about how Maximoff still wanted him dead for the death of her parents even though he was proven completely innocent of any and all allegations. It was Stane who made and sold the weapon that killed her parents. Not Tony. But Maximoff didn’t believe him. That lead to a lot of hostility when Tony had to be at the compound. There was pushing and shoving. There were visions implanted in his head. Tony had horrific nightmares if he was anywhere near her for more than a minute. Peter wasn’t allowed anywhere near Maximoff because he was also a Stark and would most likely end up on the receiving end of Wanda Maximoff’s ire.

By the end, Tony was shaking and James was about to punch somebody.

“That bitch! She deserves to rot in hell for what she’s done. That HYDRA witch needs to pay for what she’s done.” Growled James and Tony folded himself into his mate's arms. Talking about what Maximoff had been doing to him left him feeling vulnerable and exhausted.

“James… James?” worried Tony, his face pressed into James’s chest.

“She hurt you.” Was all Tony got in response. Although James’s voice sounded tight as if he were holding back his own tears. Tony couldn’t tell from where he was.

“It’s… it’s ok.”

“NO!” shouted James and Tony jumped a little in his hold. “No it’s not ok. She hurt you. She hurt so many others. HYDRA used to just kidnap people off the streets for her to torture. She’s a monster. She was in full control of her mind when she did all of this. And… and Steve just let her on the team! I can’t believe it!”

James’s eyes were flashing dangerously as he continued his little rant. He smelled strongly of anger and overprotectiveness. James wanted to do two things. He wanted to punch the HYDRA witch to hell and then yell at Steve for taking her in, and he also wanted to stay with Tony. The tension radiating off of his mate was intense. So, James stayed. Tony was more important to him. Tony and Peter were his new life. They mattered more than anything else. 

“I hate her. She hurt you. You deserve better.”

“So do you.” Whispered Tony as he slowly lifted his head so he could look up at James.

It was James who leant in and brought their lips together. It was the first kiss they had hared in over 15 years. It felt like fire and ice. Like a sweet summer day and a raging storm. It felt like finally coming home. Tony’s lips were soft and pliant against James’s and it caused them both to smile into their kiss. Tony wound his hands into James’s shirt and let out a tiny, sweet moan that had James’s growling as he pulled Tony impossibly closer. 

Neither had felt this kind of safety and contentment with another in a long time. Not since that fateful day when they mated.

“Peter’s out patrolling tonight. What do you say we grab some snacks and just stay in bed for the rest of the evening?” smiled Tony once they had finally pulled apart.

“I say I like the way you think sugar.” 

The two ended up falling asleep not long after they’d retired to their room and polished off a large tub of Stark-Raving-Hazelnuts. Peter found his parents when he got home cuddled together on the bed with the door ajar. He just smiled and went to finish his homework. He hadn’t seen his Mamma this relaxed in a very long time. 

Two weeks into May, James found himself once again in the company of one Steven Grant Rogers. Tony was away for a board meeting that would take the entirety of the day and Peter was at school preparing to take some big tests that were coming up. So, that left James with Steve for the day.

That morning, James had Steve accompany him outside of the tower for some fresh air and to run a few errands that he wanted to do. James wasn’t cleared to be outside of the tower without an Avenger with him he dragged Steve out with him the second he arrived at the tower for the day.

The first thing James did was get a haircut. His hair getting long had been a product of HYDRA trying to conceal his true identity and also because they didn’t care enough to get it cut in the first place once it started to grow. Cutting his hair short again was like he was cutting that last tendril of HYDRA out of his life. Plus he had a feeling that Tony would like the surprise.

Since they were already out of the tower, Steve suggested that they get lunch in Brooklyn near where they grew up in the hopes that it would jog James’s memory a little bit. They got some pizza and found a little corner near their old apartment where they could sit and eat. The whole time Steve talked about different memories from when they were kids. James managed to remember a few disjointed ones such as the time his kid sister Rebecca threw Steve into a trash can. James was regaining more and more memories as he continued to work with B.A.R.F. and therapy. He was hopeful that he’d regain more. But also, James was eager to make new memories now that he had his mate and pup at his side making every day brighter than anything he’d been through in the last 70 odd years.

Eventually, the two made it back to the tower. James kept running his flesh and blood hand over his hair and Steve just laughed at him good-naturedly. Although, the cheery atmosphere soon changed as the conversation switched to how things were going living with Tony. James brought up his great displeasure of Maximoff and how she was dangerous. This launched Steve into his own little rant about how Maximoff deserved to be angry and honestly, James just tuned it out until Steve said something that brought him back. 

“Bucky, you’ll need to learn to work with her once you join the Avengers. Wanda’s on the team and she’s not going unless she wants to.” Reprimanded Steve and James looked back at his friend with a little bit of fury in his eyes. He’s talked this over with Tony and his therapist. Now was as good a time as any to break the news to Steve.

“Steve. I’m not going to join the Avengers unless it’s for an emergency.” Stated James and Steve looked like he just got punched in the face.

“What?” Bucky, is this because of Tony? Is he making you?”

“No! Steve, just no. This is my decision. I spent the last 70 years being HYDRA’s lap dog. I fought in the war and I fought under HYDRA. I’m sick and tired of fighting. I just want to rest now. I want to go to school. I want to learn new skills. I want a life of my own and I can finally have that.”

“But Buck, we’ve always fought together.” Whined Steve and James looked back at him with a blank look on his face.

“I’m done fighting Steve. I had my choices ripped away from me for years. At least give me this. Don’t take this choice away from me.”

All Steve did was nod as he processed what he was being told. Steve was normally very stubborn when it came to getting what he wants, but he always folded for his Bucky. If he said he didn’t want to fight then he wasn’t going to push for now. Maybe he’d try again later.

Steve left shortly after because he needed to make the drive back to the compound. This left James to just sit in the living room and read a book from the list that Tony had given him. He really enjoyed the quiet time where he got to just enjoy the things he hadn’t been able to since his fall. The tranquillity and overall atmosphere of his new home made him feel at ease. He loved it.

“Hey, there honey. Almost didn’t recognize you with your new updo.” Spoke Tony causing James to get up from his seat and pull Tony into his arms. He looked exhausted.

“Well doll, I thought it was about time for a change. What’cha think?”

“I think I really like it.” Smiled Tony as he ran his hands through James’s hair. James relaxed into Tony’s hands at the feeling and the two sank into a kiss.

Although that kiss was interrupted as Peter came barrelling through the elevator with tears in his eyes. The teen went running to his room and slammed the door. James and Tony shared a concerned look before the took off towards Peter’s room. Tony knocked on the door before opening it. Peter lay facedown on his bed as he cried. It broke his parents’ hearts. 

“Pete? You alright pup?” asked Tony as he approached the teen. Peter just shook his head and remained face down on his pillow. His shoulders were shaking with silent sobs.

“Was it that Flash kid again?” Peter nodded and Tony sat down on the bed and pulled his son into his arms. James, unsure of what his role was, lingered by the door before Tony summoned him over and he sat down next to them.

“What did he do kid? You need to tell me so I can make it stop. I’m not going to let this go on any longer. I know you wanted me to stay out of it but he’s making you cry, Bambino. I can’t have you crying because someone is hurting you.” Spoke Tony as he rocked Peter in his arms.

Peter started relatively silent for a moment, only letting out little sniffles as his Mamma held him. James too that as a cue to join in on the hug. He wrapped his arms around his mate and pup and just held them close. He hoped that it was giving Peter some comfort.

“Flash… He was saying bad things about you and dad. He… he said that now that dad was back that you wouldn’t want me. He… he…” Peter started crying again. “He also said that I was messed up and broken because of who my parents are. Then he pushed me into a locker. Like, I know that I’m Spider-Man and can take it but it still hurts.”

James and Tony just held their pup closer as he told them what had happened. Tony felt helpless while James felt furious. Although he hadn’t had Peter in his life for every long he knew in his heart that he would do anything and everything for his pup. Peter and Tony made him feel sane. He needed to protect them.

“Alright. Enough is enough with that Flash kid. Pete, I know you don’t want me interfering but I can’t let this continue. Tomorrow James and I will pick you up from school and we’ll talk to the principal, alright?” Peter just nodded and buried in tighter between his parents.

That night they ordered Peter’s favourite food and watched movies in order to cheer him up a bit. Peter barely left James’s sight. He needed to know that he was safe. Eventually, though, it was time for Peter to go to bed. Tony and James followed to their own bed not long after. James had horrible nightmares that night. It made them all glad that the walls were soundproof. James dreamt of being back under HYDRA’s control and hurting Tony and Peter. He dreamt of his family lying there dead while he did nothing to stop it. He woke up screaming and crying while Tony just held him and reassured him that they were safe. It was all he really could do.

The next morning Happy drove Peter to school as normal while Tony and James figured out the best way to approach this. It was a rare day where James didn’t have any therapy so he was happy to spend it with Tony finding a way to help their son. James wasn’t to sure of his place on the matter seeing as how Tony had raised Peter without him for so long. But Tony did a good job of making sure to ask James’s opinion on things. He wanted his mate included with this. They were a team now and both only had Peter’s bests interests at heart.

Eventually, they both came to a consensus and were both ready when it came time to pick Peter up from school. They took one of Tony’s flashier cars because James had asked and they made their way to the school. They arrived just before class got out and they parked in the guest parking lot to wait for Peter. They got out of the car just as the bell rang and the kids came pouring out. Tony smiled as he saw Peter talking animatedly about something with his best friend Ned. The two had been inseparable since they had moved to New York back in 2012.

Although the smile was wiped from everyone’s faces when Flash Thompson decided to make an appearance. Peter just looked absolutely miserable as Flash started yelling things at him. Ned tried to get him to back off but to no avail. That was when Tony and James knew they had to step in.

“Peter.” Called James from his spot by the car.

Peter looked up and sighed in relief as he saw his parents. He quickly went running towards them with Ned hot on his heels. Peter launched himself into his Dad’s arms and Ned said his hellos. He knew Tony well enough but he hadn’t met James yet. Flash? Well, he stayed far away. The look of pure hatred that James sent his way was enough to make anyone back off.

Tony explained how he had called and talked with the principal earlier and that they were going to have a sit-down with him in 20 minutes. Peter nodded and followed his parents inside after saying goodbye to Ned. Tony would need to remember to set up a sleepover between the two once exams were over.

The talk they had with the principal lasted longer than anyone really wanted it to. For once, it wasn’t Tony’s fault for going all mama bear to protect his pup. No, it was James who spoke up the most in order to protect his pup. He’d missed so much time with Peter. Now that he had him he needed to make sure that Peter was safe.

Eventually, though, they all came to a consensus. The principal didn’t want to upset Tony too much because he was one of the school’s major backers and Peter was an absolutely brilliant student. And this wasn’t the first time students and their parents had come to him with bullying allegations against Flash. It was high time something was done about it. Hopefully, now things would get better for everyone involved.

They went home with smiles on their faces and ice cream in their bellies because Peter had asked to stop for some ever so nicely. 

Tony’s birthday, ever since Peter was born, had always been a subdued affair. Even the year he was dying and Romanov tried to push him into having a party, it was still very subdued. He normally spent the day with Peter, Pepper, Happy, and Rhodey. Even when the Avengers formed it was still pretty subdued. He mostly celebrated it for Peter’s benefit because Peter loved to make him little gifts for the day. Peter had such a big heart. Tony was so proud of him.

But this year just felt different. James was here. He was back in Tony’s life. He was no longer the Omega with an absent mate. He was happy and they were both healing from years of abuse and neglect. They were together and safe. So, to celebrate Tony decided to have a little bit more of a shindig for his birthday. He had all his friends over. He invited a few Avengers. It would be fun. Clint and his family were coming to the tower to visit. Sam, Steve, and Vision would be there even though Tony and Steve were still a bit on the rocks. Either way, it would still turn out to be a fun day. Tony even let Peter have Ned over so all the rugrats could play together. There were cake and movies and a few games. Tony hadn’t stopped smiling the entire day. It made it even better when James kissed him after he blew out the candles on his cake. How they managed to get 46 candles on there without everything being lit on fire was a feat nobody knew how to explain.

But while the day was amazing, that night brought a slightly more serious conversation. James was sitting on the bed in his pyjamas while Tony finished getting changed into his. He was watching as Tony moved about the room. He loved watching Tony move. He was so elegant and made for the perfect view. Especially when he turned around and James was able to ogle at his mate’s ass. So. James stared at Tony but was pulled out of his trance when Tony sat beside him and began talking. He looked oddly nervous and that made James nervous. 

“My uh… my heat is going to start in a few days. It would be nice to spend it with you.” Spoke Tony and he instantly had James’s attention.

“You… you want me there?” asked James and Tony loved at him with love in his honey brown eyes.

“Of course I want you there, but only if that’s what you want. I don’t want things to be too sudden. I want to do this right. I… I haven’t shared my heat with anybody in a very long time. I only want to share it with you. If that’s alright of course.” Worried Tony and James reached out and took his hands in his.

“Doll, I would love to share your heat with you. Bet you’ll look so pretty for me.” Purred James and Tony blushed. He wasn’t normally one to blush but just being with James did things to him.

“Thank you.” Whispered Tony and James nuzzled his neck where his bonding bite sat. 

“You know I never strayed. I never slept with anyone after that first heat with you. I knew I could never manage to sleep with anyone after you. Plus I hade Peter to worry about. I’ve… I’ve spent my heats alone for the past 15 years. I’m glad I get to spend this one with you.”

“I’m glad I get to spend it with you too. I can’t wait to share this with you and remember it afterwards. Being able to have the memory of you lookin’ so sweet will be a blessin’.” Smirked James, his old Brooklyn accent sneaking through.

“Only for you hot stuff.” 

Five days later, Tony’s heat hit. Happy had arrived the day before and would be looking after Peter for the week with Tony and James enjoyed their time together. Even though Tony’s heat normally only lasted three days, they wanted the extra time to just be together and relax. Tony’s heats were always draining so having the time to relax after was important. Plus James wasn’t going to complain about having Tony to himself for an entire week. 

The entire first morning just as Tony’s heat was about to start, the man was lethargic. He ate when prompted but mostly slept as he prepared for some very serious mating. His scent was growing ever sweeter and it had James patrolling their room, making sure that they were alone and safe. His own hormones were responding to Tony’s and his need to make sure his mate was safe when he was most vulnerable was the only thing on his mind.

Well, until Tony started to wake up.

Tony woke up with a whine that had James naked and on top of him in seconds. Tony had removed his own clothes hours ago and was now needy and wanting on their bed. He was sweating and writhing on the sheets and his scent was driving James crazy. 

“Hey, there sweet thing. You’re smellin’ real sweet there.” Purred James as he began kissing over Tony’s face. His mind was screaming at him to mate his Omega. Tony was counting on him to make him feel better. He wasn’t about to disappoint. 

“You’ve done such a great job takin’ care of me, it’s time I get to take care of you sweet thing.” Soothed James and Tony barely nodded along. His brain was already being consumed by the fog of heat. 

James took his time exploring Tony’s body. He kissed over every scar and stretchmark while giving special attention to the scars left behind by the arc reactor. He revelled in every little sound Tony made. They were music to his ears. As James roamed over Tony’s body he could smell the sweet scent of Tony’s slick pooling beneath him. It made his mouth water. He just had to have a taste. So, James moved down Tony’s body and gently pulled his legs apart. Tony’s eyes were already glassy and his hands were twisted in the sheets in anticipation.

“Fuck baby doll. Look at you. So pretty and slick already. Just knew you’d look so pretty for me.” Groaned James and he felt Tony tense up a little.

“Alpha… Alpha please.” Whined Tony as his breath began to hitch a little bit.

“Shh sweet thing. Just relax for me. I’ll make you feel better.” Cooed James and Tony instantly relaxed around him. The fact that Tony went limp and wanting only for him drove James absolutely crazy. He just couldn’t hold back.

James brought his face in close to Tony’s hole and just inhaled his scent. It had thickened with his heat and James was getting drunk just from being near his mate. James wasted no time in diving in and licking the slick from around Tony’s hole. Tony practically screamed and bucked off the bed as he finally got some much-needed stimulation and relief. James just smiled and held Tony’s hips down with his arms to keep his mate right where he wanted him.

James let out his own little moans as he ate Tony out. His slick was addictive in every sense of the word. It was sweet like sugar water and when combined with Tony’s scent, it drove him crazy. His tongue was doing downright sinful things that had Tony writhing on the bed with tears in his eyes. James could feel Tony tensing up once more and he knew that he could bring his mate to completion just like this.

“You just let go sweet thing. I’ve gotcha.” Cooed James as he quickly got back to work in bringing his mate the most intimate kind of pleasure that he could give him.

A few minutes later Tony came with a scream of James’s name that almost had James coming himself. But he held back. He only wanted to finish in his Omega. He needed to knot him and claim him over and over again forever and always.

James moved up Tony’s body and smiled at the look of pure bliss on Tony’s face. He proceeded to lick some of the cum off of Tony’s stomach and chest before he leant down and kissed Tony within an inch of his life.

“Such a pretty little thing. Fuck, you’re perfect. My perfect little Omega.” Groaned James.

Soon after, James rolled Tony over onto his stomach and helped him get into breeding position. Tony let James move his body however he wanted. He knew that James would make everything better. James quickly had Tony laying the way he wanted him to. His chest was on the bed, his arms above his head, and his wonderful ass up and on display, legs spread showing off his glistening hole for James’s pleasure.

James practically drooled as he lined himself up and slowly pushed inside of his mate. Out of heat, James would have needed to prep Tony before he took his sizable length, but in heat was another story. Tony was loose enough to take him in but oh so tight and wet. James growled as he saw himself sink into his Omega’s heat. It felt amazing. 

“Oh fuck doll. Takin’ me so good. Made just for me. My pretty Omega. Gonna fill you up sweet thing. Breed you nice and proper.”

James set a hard and steady pace. There would be time for sweet and soft later towards the end of Tony’s heat. But right now Tony needed hard and fast and full of lust. The sound of skin against skin was drowned out by the sweet little moans and hard grunts that Tony and James were making. James’s metal hand kept a firm hold on Tony’s hip, no doubt leaving a few claiming bruises. His other hand travelled along Tony’s back until it came to rest around his neck. It just rested there, right by Tony’s bonding mark that James was itching to renew.

“You gettin’ close doll? You need a nice knot to make it all better?” growled James as he felt Tony tensing up once more as his moans of pleasure got louder and louder.

“Alpha! Alpha! James! Please!” cried out Tony as he pushed back against James’s hold, pushing James’s impossibly deeper.

“Don’t worry baby doll. You just let go. I’ll give you what you need.”

Tony screamed and cried as he came once more all too soon. James’s knot popped and tied the two together for the next 10 minutes. James came with his own shout as he leant down and bit Tony’s bonding mark. He felt their bond solidify and his mind went hazy. James had enough thought to lean to the side so that he was spooning comfortably against Tony’s back. He held Tony safely in his arms and kissed over the bonding site. He smiled when he saw that Tony had already fallen asleep. Heats often took a lot out of Omegas. 

“Thank you. Thank you for giving me this. I love you so much. You make me feel complete.” Whispered James as he moved his free hand to rest over Tony’s heart. 

He fell asleep not long afterwards.

The next three days were spent in much the same manner with James showering Tony in affection and pleasure while Tony drank in every second of it. They both thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Tony hadn’t felt this kind of raw affection in over a decade and James was relearning the joys of pleasure.

When Tony’s heat broke they each took a solid day just to sleep and relax. James changed the sheet and then took himself and Tony over to the bathroom to have a shower together. James was entirely too careful with Tony in the shower but Tony didn’t mind. He hated water after his stint in Afghanistan and having James there to comfort him and keep the water off of his face was just perfect as he came down from his heat.

The next few days were filled with plenty of cuddles and relaxation. Neither wanted to leave the others side for more than necessary, so they didn’t. James gave Tony little massages to relax his sore muscles and Tony showered James in praise. Neither had felt this amazing and content in a long time. It was nice to finally feel this happy. 

They both deserved it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow. That was… a lot. Once again my ability to write amazes me. So, what did y’all think? Good chapter. I think so. Keep your eyes open for the next one. It’ll be good. I promise. See y’all around. -Shadows


	4. Better

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, is it time for another chapter already? I guess it is. This chapter deals with some hurt on Tony’s part. Don’t worry, he’ll be fine though. I hope you enjoy this one. I’ll see you at the end.

Both Tony and James were thrilled to see Peter after having spent the last week separate due to Tony’s heat. Peter came to them with stories of what he’d been up to and both parents gladly enjoyed having their chatty pup back with them. They quickly all fell back into their routines and everything was going great.

Until Tony started getting sick a few weeks after his heat ended.

Most morning Tony woke up feeling so nauseous that it sent him sprinting to the bathroom to throw up. James was always by his side in an instant what that happened. It was absolutely horrible. The littlest of things would make Tony nauseous. Tony wanted so badly to ignore it so he could continue living his life as he had, but Tony knew better. This was all too familiar. The sickness, the tiredness. He’d don’t this all before. He just needed to confirm it.

So, one afternoon while James was in the tail end of his therapy session Tony snuck out and bought a few pregnancy tests at the drug store around the corner. He snuck back to their room and was greeted by the sight of James just coming out of the shower.

“Hey, doll. I got out early today. Are you going to work in the lab for a bit?” asked James as he walked around the room in only a towel. Tony had a hard time looking away.

“Uh… yeah. I won't be very long though. I just need to send off a few things. I’ll be up again in an hour.”

“Alright. I’ll see you soon.” Smiled James as he kissed Tony on the cheek. He’d been gaining back some of his own charm and was beginning to out flirt Tony on the daily.

Tony all but raced down to his lab and into the bathroom there where he took the tests and set them aside. He sat down on the floor and fiddled nervously with his hands. Tony was anxious. He wasn’t going to downplay that. He was very, very anxious. His hands were shaking already and he didn’t even know the results. Well, Tony already knew what the results would be but he wasn’t mentally there yet.

After nearly 15 minutes Tony bit the bullet and stood up to check the tests. His hands shook as he turned each of them over. There on the bathroom counter lay five positive tests. He was pregnant.

And that was when everything seemed to catch up with Tony. His face blanched and his legs turned to jelly as he fell to the ground. His hands shook terribly and his breathing very quickly picked up. FRIDAY tried to get his attention but to no avail. Tony was lost in his head as he was bombarded with bad memories.

“Sargent Barnes?”

“Yes FRIDAY? You sound worried.” Spoke James as he looked up from his book.

“It’s Boss. He’s in the bathroom of his lab having a panic attack and I can’t get him out of it.” Worried FRIDAY.

James threw down his book and sprinted down to the lab. He didn’t bother with the elevator. He took the stairs two at a time because he knew he was faster. When he arrived the lab doors were already open because FRIDAY was great like that. James quickly made his way to the back where the bathroom was. He very quickly saw where Tony was sitting and he made his way swiftly to his side. Tony was mostly unresponsive but as he smelled his mate and felt his arms close safely around him, he began to feel a little better. Tony liked to be held while he came down from panic attacks. He’s been deprived of positive touch for so long during his life for different periods of time that he absolutely craved it when he was feeling vulnerable. James knew this and was more than happy to hold his mate when he needed it.

Eventually Tony managed to calm down much to James’s relief. He hated seeing his mate upset and he knew Tony hated seeing him upset. They sat in silence for a little while with Tony nestled comfortably in James’s arms. James, on the other hand, began to look around the room. His eyes narrowed on the tests on the ground so he reached over and picked one up. He didn’t know what they were but they all looked similar.

“Tony? What are these?” asked James. It was an entirely innocent question that had Tony crying silently.

“They’re… they’re uh… they’re pregnancy tests.” Stuttered out Tony as he tried to regain his composure.

Now, despite everything, James was very smart and had amazing intuition. He immediately put two and two together as his eyes widened and his voice shook.

“You’re pregnant! Oh god, you’re pregnant.” Cried James as he pulled Tony into his arms. He began kissing over Tony’s face and his hands fell over his stomach. Tony scent became a little less bitter as James showered him in affection. James was absolutely over the moon. His mate was pregnant. They were going to have a pup. He was going to be able to be there this time. He wasn’t going to miss a second of this. But Tony’s scent was still tinged with fear and that worried James. This was good news, so why was Tony scared? Had something happened?

“Doll, what’s wrong? You smell scared?” worried James as he made sure that Tony was comfortable in his arms. Tony just buried his head in James’s chest and sighed.

“I uh… I didn’t really have the easiest time giving birth the last time.”

“What happened doll?” asked James and Tony knew he had to tell him. Not many people knew about how Peter came into the world. Just Pepper, Rhodey, Happy, and some doctors. Stane knew when he was alive but he took that knowledge with him to the gates of Hell. Tony had kept it all a closely guarded secret because it had been pretty traumatic. Tony sighed before beginning. James deserved to know.

“When I was pregnant with Peter, everything went perfectly. I was healthy. Peter was healthy. I was hardly ever sick or sore. It was perfect. It… it was giving birth where the problems started.” Began Tony and James held him closer. 

“I was all alone when Peter was born. I… I gave birth to him in my lab with nobody around and no way to call for help. I was doing maintenance on my old AI, JARVIS, at the time and my phone was up a flight of stairs. I’d… I’d been feeling contractions all day but I thought they were just the fake ones that help prepare you for the real ones. I have such a high pain tolerance that I only began to register that things were going south when the pain got so bad that I couldn’t move my legs to even attempt to get up the stairs.”

“I... I managed to make it to the couch in my lab before things got really bad. I just remember being so scared about not having help. Like, what if something happened to Peter? What if something happened to me and Peter got hurt? I was terrified. I didn’t know what I was doing. It was a fucking miracle that Peter made it here.” 

“Pepper was the one who found me. The lab floor was covered in blood and fluids and I was curled up half-naked on the couch with a crying baby in my arms. She got me and Peter to the hospital alright but I was a mess for a long time after that. I couldn’t let anyone hold Peter or go near him. I was dealing with depression. I was anxious all the time. Nobody held Peter other than myself until his first birthday. I guess I’m still pretty messed up from it even though it’s been almost 15 years.”

By the end, both Tony and James were crying. James just felt incredibly lost hearing Tony’s story.

“Doll, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry I wasn’t there. I should have been there.” Cried James as he moved to pick Tony up so they could return to their room.

“It’s not your fault. It’s mine. I should have been more careful.”

James just shook his head. It wasn’t Tony’s fault. It would never be Tony’s fault. Everything wrong was always HYDRA’s fault. He took Tony back to their room and just held him close. There was no way that James was going to let Tony out of his sight while he was pregnant. He never wanted Tony to be alone ever again. He wanted to be there every step of the way. He’d missed this with Peter. He wasn’t going to let anything bad happen.

When others came by the tower over the following weeks as July turned into August, they all very quickly noticed that James was being very possessive and protective when it came to Tony and Peter. Peter was home for the summer and James was hardly letting him out. If he wanted to hang out with Ned he had to come over to the tower. It had lead to a few arguments between the two. Eventually, Tony caved and told Peter that he was going to be a big brother and that James’s hormones were responding to Tony’s and that was why he was acting the way he was. Peter was so excited to be getting a little brother or sister. Yes, he was mad about not being allowed out as much as he used to but still. He was going to be a big brother!

They told Tony’s friends next. They were all pretty excited. Rhodey teased James a bit and Happy gave him a little bit of a shovel talk about making sure that Tony was alright this time. Pepper only looked at them and declared that they absolutely had to go baby shopping together at some point.

The way that the other Avengers found out wasn’t the way that Tony wanted to tell them. It was a week after Peter’s 15th birthday and the entire family was at the compound upstate to have a little party with the other Avengers. Peter had already had his family and friends party with Ned on his actual birthday. This one was more of the Avengers because they all adored Peter. Everyone adored him. It was impossible not to.

So, they were all at the compound enjoying the afternoon. They had to send Maximoff away since James didn’t trust her to get close enough to Tony, especially now that he was pregnant. That was the only fight of the day. But luckily Steve would do anything for his Bucky so he followed his wishes. The get together was great except for the fact that Tony felt ill the entire time. He had to excuse himself a few times to throw up. James was always at his side when he left. He’d promised himself that he wasn’t going to leave Tony and he was holding true to his word. But, with Tony and James leaving the room so often the others began to get suspicious. So after Tony and James got back from their last trip to the bathroom Steve voiced his concern on the matter.

“You know it’s a bit rude to continue to leave and drag Bucky away with you during your own pup’s party.” Snarked Steve and Tony sighed.

“I’m not leaving because I want to Cap. And I’m not dragging James with me. He just follows me wherever I go.”

“Then why are you leaving?”

Tony just sighed and looked back at James who had wrapped his arms around Tony.

“I wanted to wait to tell you guys so that we could make a big deal out of it without overshadowing Peter but I guess now I don’t have much of a choice.”

Everyone waited with anticipation while Peter just smiled from his seat on the floor where he was playing with a new Lego set that Sam got him. He already knew the news so he wasn’t surprised.

“Well, uh… I’m pregnant. That’s why James is following me around so much.”

The room very quickly erupted in congratulations with most of the Avengers congratulating James. Peter looked confused as to why James was getting all the praise despite it being his Mamma that was the one carrying the baby. Tony just sighed and hugged his son. Despite the fact that Omegas have had all the same rights as Alphas since Tony was 20, there were still some things that never changed despite all the fighting that had to happen for them to even get to where they currently were. 

So, with the news out there to the Avengers, nobody bothered James when he was feeling especially possessive of his mate. Those episodes were becoming more and more common as James’s therapy ramped up. James’s trial for the crimes he committed as the Winter Soldier under HYDRA was set for November and they needed to make sure that James was ready to stand trial.

Tony had made sure that his mate had the best lawyers money could buy. It wasn’t completely necessary since it had already been confirmed that James was no longer a danger to himself or others and his actions were under brainwashing and duress. The trail was more a formality for official government and military records. There was also the fact that because James was a POW and such, he was owed a lot of back pay. James didn’t really care about the money though. He just cared about getting the trial over with so that he could be left alone with his mate, his son, and their unborn pup. That’s all he wanted.

Although, going to therapy and preparing for the trial would be ten times easier if Tony weren’t so sick. Tony had no clue why he was so sick this time around. He’d had such an easy pregnancy with Peter. He was hardly ever sick. He wasn’t too sore all the time. He and Peter were healthy the entire time until his not so nice birth. So to say that Tony was confused as to why he was so sick and lethargic was an understatement. He was only a few months along and already sick of the doctor's appointment and the meds he had to take to try and feel somewhat normal. He already wasn’t allowed some of his meds because of the pregnancy, he just wanted this to go smoothly.

True to his word, James was at Tony’s side through everything. He was there for every appointment and scan. And there were a lot of those since Tony was so sick, had a heart condition, and was a bit older. James loved going to the scans. He loved seeing the pup as they grew. He loved seeing Tony develop his bump. It was still quite small but James knew it was there. He touched Tony and the bump whenever he could.

Tony was only three months along when he started to get really sick. He was throwing up a lot and was so lethargic that he couldn’t get any work done in the lab. The most he could do was lay in bed with a tablet and sign off on things. James would hover nearby making sure that Tony had everything and was comfortable. Tony’s doctor said that he had an extreme form of morning sickness and that was likely being messed with the aftermath of the palladium poisoning. Hearing about the poisoning worried Tony but he was assured that his pup was healthy and developing normally.

The doctor put a plan in place to make sure that Tony got enough rest, food, and fluids while being so sick. They wanted to avoid putting Tony in the hospital because he was a notorious runner. James listened intently to everything. He absorbed all the information like a sponge. Tony had done such a good job taking care of him and making sure that he was alright as he worked on recovery. Now it was his turn to look after Tony and their pup. He took the job in stride. 

As the months rolled on, all too soon it became November and time for James’s trial. Both Tony and James were nervous wrecks. Sure they knew that this was a formality but they were still scared. If just one person didn’t believe the evidence they could be in big trouble.

The trial was set to run over three days with James, multiple Avengers, and government officials taking to the stand to figure things out. Peter wasn’t allowed in the courtroom during the proceeding. First of all, because he had school and his parents wanted him to get his education. Second of all because there were going to be many unpleasant photos, videos, and testimonies shared that weren’t for little ears.

Each day of testimonies left Tony and James absolutely exhausted as well as Steve and Natasha who were giving their won testimonials. The courtroom was so tense that they actually had James’s therapist on hand in case any of them had a breakdown due to the subject matter.

Each day brought more and more horrific atrocities done by HYDRA as James told everyone what had happened to him. Steve brought stories of his own that made people's skin crawl such as what had happened in Azzano in the ’40s and HYDRA’s history of human experimentation. Tony and Nat brought in video and photo evidence that they’d salvaged from the data dump. Some of the footage made people throw up, including Tony, although he just blamed it on his pregnancy. He didn’t tell the government and army officials that though. He and James were waiting until they knew things were safe before they made the announcement to the world.

The first two days were really rough. Pretty much everyone was feeling some sort of emotions whether that be anger, fear, or disgust. They all knew that HYDRA did horrible things, but with all this new information coming to light, it just made everything so much worse. Most evenings after the proceedings had wrapped up for the day, James couldn’t even leave Tony’s side. And Tony didn’t blame him. James was often a complete mess of shakiness and tears afterwards. It sent his instincts into overdrive. He wouldn’t let Steve or anyone else near him or his mate. Once Peter came home from school or patrol, he too would be pulled to James’s side so that he was close and safe. Peter helped a bit by showing his father that he was safe. He’d tell him stories about his day in the hopes of bringing James some sort of peace.

On the third and final day of the trial, both Tony and James were absolute wrecks. And they weren’t the only ones. Steve was there looking like he wanted to throw up as the jury deliberated. James was a shaking mess and Tony was no better. They just sat side by side, hand in hand, and hoped for the best. James was finally healing. He deserved to be at home with his family after everything he’d been forced to endure. He needed to be at home. How was where he was safe and healing. How was where his mate and pup were. Home was where James knew everything would be alright.

After an hour of deliberation, the jury came back with their verdict. Nobody dared to breathe as a member stood up to address the court. 

“We the jury find Sargent James Bucannon Barnes… innocent of all charges.”

Instantly James started shaking and sobbing. He stood up and drew an equally sobbing Tony into his arms. Steve and Natasha quickly joined them in the hug as they all felt immense relief fall from their shoulders. James was innocent. He was free. He could stay at home.

The judge was kind enough to give them all a few minutes to calm down before they all began to talk about things such as back pay and reparations. James didn’t really care too much for all of that. He just sat there with Tony in his arms as they both continued to cry tears of joy. They would absolutely need to have a celebration for this.

And they did. Once they got back home they pulled Peter out of school early and had some of the other Avengers, Pepper, Rhodey, and Happy over for a little shindig. The entire time neither Tony nor James could stop smiling. James was a free man. They could really start their lives together. Peter was happy and healthy and Tony was expecting. They were finally free to live the life they wanted ever since meeting for the first time at that gala all those years ago.

With James now free to live his life with the little family and was able to start planning for different life events and holidays. The first to roll around was Thanksgiving with everyone meeting at the tower to celebrate. They had a great time with everyone managing to get along for the day. Although Tony spent most of the time laying down in the living room with James and the other’s talked and watched sports. He wasn’t feeling well and he had the great excuse of being pregnant to just avoid dealing with things.

But all in all, it was a good day.

After Thanksgiving came December and with it, Christmas. Peter was an excited ball of energy as he showered the tower decorations. Tony and James pretty much let Peter decorate however he wanted. They had more important things on their minds. Very soon, Tony was going to have his anatomy scan and hopefully, they would find out the primary gender of their pup. They wouldn’t find out the secondary gender until they were born, but they were still very excited. 

At five months pregnant, Tony still looked tiny compared to when he had Peter. But the doctor assured them that the baby was healthy so Tony wasn’t too worried. James certainly wasn’t worried about it. He could hardly stop touching Tony and the bump which wasn’t helping Tony’s libido. With this pregnancy, when Tony wasn’t feeling horribly sick and lethargic, then he was extremely horny. James was all too excited to help out with that little problem.

Five days before Christmas Tony was called in for his scan. He was feeling very sick that day so they took their time getting to the clinic. James supported Tony throughout the short walk from the main office room to the exam room and he also helped him up onto the table. From there James held Tony’s hand tightly as the doctor asked questions and began their checks and scans. Both Tony and James waited in anticipation for the answer. They didn’t really care what they had, they just wanted their pup to be happy and healthy. But they still wanted to know. It was exciting after all.

“Congratulations! It’s a girl!” announced the doctor as they showed Tony and James the screen.

Tony’s eyes watered at the news along with James’s. A girl. A sweet little girl. Well, seeing as how her parents were James Barnes and Tony Stark she would likely be sweet and absolutely kick-ass. Both parents made it back home with tears still in their eyes. Their little girl was healthy and was absolutely going to be spoiled. 

Five days later it was Christmas day and the little family had flown out with Rhodey, Happy, and Pepper to Mama Rhodes’s place for the holiday. Mama Rhodes was more of a mother to Tony than his own mother had been sometimes. Because of Howard she was discouraged from caring for Tony and his treatment of her lead her down a dark path. When he was little Tony resented her for it but when he went off to MIT, he learned the truth and it made him hate Howard even more.

While at MIT, Mama Rhodes was always there for Tony and Rhodey. She was Peter’s Grandma since his own mother had been killed by Howard in a drunk driving accident. Tony always spent the day with the Rhodes ever since he was just a skinny teen at MIT who wasn’t allowed to come home for the holidays after Ana and Edwin Jarvis had passed when he was 13.

So, naturally, with James being Tony’s mate, he came along too. Steve was mad that James wasn’t spending the day with him and the other Avengers at Clint’s farm but he also understood that getting to know the in-laws was important. He was still mad though.

Watching Peter and the other kids tear open their presents was a sight to behold. Rhodey’s sister Janet was there with her two teenagers and her mate. All three pups were effectively cousins and nobody told them any different. All the adults just smiled as they watched them play. It was moments like this that made all the horrible shit worth it.

“Mama, everyone. James and I have some news.” Spoke Tony and he instantly had everyone’s attention.

“A few days ago I had another scan. James and I are having a little girl!” announced Tony and he was instantly pulled into hugs and offered congratulations while James just sat there looking pleased as punch. 

Three days later, Tony put out a picture on Instagram and Twitter announcing his pregnancy. He didn’t really want to announce it to the world but he knew if he didn’t it would leak out without his control. He was starting to get bigger each day and he didn’t need rumours spreading. It was just a simple announcement but one that had the internet in a tizzy. If the announcement that the fabled Winter Soldier and best friend of Captain America was Tony Stark’s long lost mate was big news then this was even bigger. 

This was coincidently when all the other Avengers found out that the pup was a girl. Steve was furious that neither Tony nor James had told him before they made their announcement. At least he wasn’t mad about the pup being a girl. With the number of powerful women of each sub gender that the captain hung around, he was no doubt expecting this little one to be just as strong.

So, with the new year rung in and Peter back at school after the break, it was time for Tony and James to prepare the pup’s room. Well, it was more James doing all the hard work while Tony gave him directions because he was still quite sick all the time. James didn’t mind though. He didn’t get to do any of this when Tony was expecting Peter. He was glad he got to do this now.

The room was painted a very light red that was borderline pink. There were green and gold accents and so many new baby clothes. Some of their friends had gone a little overboard with clothes and toys. The dear captain had had the guile to give Tony a Captain America onesie as a gift. Rhodey thought it was hilarious.

Quickly, everything was set up and it’s its place. Everyone was excited and Peter couldn’t stop talking about how excited he was to be a big brother. But despite everything being set and ready, there was still one very important thing missing.

“You know our pup will be here in two more months. We should probably start thinking of a name.” spoke Tony one morning not long after Peter had left for school.

“You’re right doll. She needs a name.” sighed James as he curled up at Tony's side. Tony’s hands went to tangle in his hair while James’s hands rested on the ever-growing bump. Tony was still small but the pup was doing just fine.

“So…” asked Tony after a few moments of relative silence. “Any ideas? Like, I’ve got a middle name but no first name. I uh… I kind of want you to name her since you didn’t get any input with Peter.”

“You… you want me to name her? Really?” asked James, his voice barely rising above a whisper.

“Yeah. She’s your pup too.”

In the past, as in back in the 30s and 40s, James was never known to be so emotional. But things had changed and how he was able to express his emotions freely. James was unashamed of shedding tears nowadays, so him crying a little when Tony said that he wanted him to name their daughter was completely understandable.

James took his job extremely seriously. He poured over name books and looked at origins and meanings to find the perfect name. He needed to give his little girl the perfect name. He just needed to. Tony thought it was cute how serious James was taking this.

A week later, James came to Tony with his choice. He just hoped that Tony liked it.

“I want to name her Morgan.” Spoke James one evening while the entire family was sitting down in the living room munching on popcorn and watching a movie. Peter was sprawled out on the floor while Tony and James cuddled together on the couch.

“Morgan. I like it. Morgan Hope. Has a nice ring to it.” Smiled Tony and James beamed back at him. He had chosen a good name and his mate was happy.

“You like it?”

“I love it, James. I knew you’d pick a good name. What made you decide on Morgan?”

“I uh… I was reading the tales of King Arthur and the character Morgana caught my eye. I hope that’s alright.” Worried James but Tony just continued smiling at him. 

“I loved those books as a kid. Jarvis used to sneak me them when I was little. You know I based some of the Iron Man suit designs after those stories.”

The rest of the night Tony regaled James and Peter with stories of all the things the Jarvis’s did for him. It made James smile knowing that Tony at least had a few good people in his life growing up. He knew about what Howard Stark had done to his precious mate. He wasn’t going to allow anything else to happen.

Two weeks later things took a bit go a turn for the worst. Tony got sicker. So sick that his doctor made the decision to have Tony moved to the Avengers compound medical unit where he could be monitored at all times. To say that Tony wasn’t happy about being trapped in medical was an understatement. He hated being in hospitals or in medical. The smell always got to him and he hated being poked and prodded.

James, on the other hand, was an absolute nervous wreck because his very pregnant mate was sick and he couldn’t do anything to make It better. It sent his own instincts into overdrive and he could hardly leave Tony’s side. He growled and got possessive whenever somebody who wasn’t Peter or one of the doctors got close. It just wasn’t fun and he was stressed out of his mind.

Peter wasn’t doing much better. He was worried about his Mamma and his school schedule had been messed around with. Because he had to go to the compound with his parents, he was forced to temporally switch to an online schooling option because the commute was way too long to make twice a day. But Peter didn’t really care much about his schooling situation. He was just worried about his Mamma. 

“Peter, everything will be fine. I’ll be fine. Your sister will be fine. We’ll all be alright. I know you’re worried but you don’t need to be. Alright, pup?” soothed Tony one afternoon just before James’s birthday. He was sitting in the hospital bed with James on one side and Peter plastered to the other. There were machines incessantly beeping in the background and they were driving everybody insane.

“I just want you and Morgan to be ok.” Whined Peter as he snuggled in close. James saw this and brought both of them into his arms.

“We will be Pete. We’ll be just fine. This... this is just a little setback. I know this is scary. I’m scared too, but we’ll be ok.”

Peter just nodded his head but didn’t move. James pulled everybody in close. They were all worried, but they had to hope that things would work out alright and that both Tony and Morgan would be ok. They just had to be. 

James didn’t know what would happen if they weren’t.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s a Morgan! Who’s excited? Well, I know that Tony and James are. Did y’all like the chapter? I hope you did. Drop a comment to let me know what you think. Next chapter is an important one so I’ll be seeing you all soon. Get ready! -Shadows 


	5. Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s time! Who’s ready for Morgan to be born? I hope you’re ready. Enjoy the last chapter. I’ll see you at the end.

As Tony got closer and closer to his due date he got more and more nervous about giving birth. He was absolutely petrified that’s he’d have to go through it all alone again. He didn’t want that. He couldn’t do that. The anxiousness lead Tony to feeling sicker. He was honestly a complete mess. And James wasn’t much better. With Tony so close to giving birth and so anxious, James was responding in kind. He hardly ever left Tony’s side. He only left to shower and go to the bathroom. After Tony had told him how Peter was born, James vowed to never leave his mate’s side. He wasn’t going to let that happen ever again.

“If even for a second you think you might be in labour or you feel any kind of pain you let me know, alright?” spoke James one night after Peter had long since returned to his room at the compound to go to bed for the night. “I know you said that last time you didn’t pick up on the labour until it was very late, but this time you’ve got me. I’m not leaving you. You just let me know and I’ll make sure you get all the help you need.”

Tony just nodded and curled in closer to his spot cuddled against James. He trusted James. He trusted him not to leave. He trusted him to keep him and their daughter safe during this. He trusted him with everything.

It was three days before Tony’s due date of March 18th when Tony went into labour. But just like last time, it just snuck up on him. Tony had been in pain and uncomfortable for weeks before this point, and because he had such a high pain tolerance because of his past, Tony didn’t realize that he was in labour until James’s smelled it on him.

“Tony doll. You’re starting to smell different. I’m going to go call the doctor, alright?”

Tony just nodded and continued to lay there on the bed. He was glad that Peter was in class at the moment. If things were about to change and get messy then he didn’t want Peter there.

A few minutes later the doctor arrived and started giving Tony an exam. He had Tony roll onto his back from where he was laying on his side which proved to be a bit of a herculean effort but James helped him out with that. Next was a quick internal check which Tony absolutely hated and which caused James to growl possessively over the fact that someone else was touching his mate.

That was when they learned that Tony was already four centimetres dilated and well on the way to giving birth.

All most immediately after the doctor left Tony began to panic. He was scared of what was to come. He clung to James like a lifeline. He did everything to make sure that James was at his side. He couldn’t do this alone. He just couldn’t. He just knew that in the next few hours the pain he was in would likely get so great that he wouldn’t be able to move much. It had happened last time so what was there to stop it from happening again.

“Shh sweet thing. It’s alright. I’ve gotcha. I’m right here. I’m not leaving you.” Soothed James as he climbed into the bed behind Tony and held him close.

“Please don’t leave. Please. I can’t do it again. I can’t.” panicked Tony and James just held him even closer. He hoped that his scent would help calm his mate down.

James had FRIDAY send a message to the others that Tony was in labour and to keep an eye on Peter. No doubt that the pup would worry. He also told the others to just stay away until James said they could enter. James’s instincts were already screaming at him to guard his mate while he was so vulnerable. He didn’t want anybody getting in the crossfire.

Tony laboured with relative ease for the first few hours after his first check-in. James made sure that he was comfortable and that he felt safe. But that all changed when Tony hit his pain threshold around seven centimetres dilated. The paint got so bad so quickly that, once again, Tony had trouble moving, thinking, and breathing. James had to do everything for him because the pain was so bad. It was so bad that Tony couldn’t even talk or communicate what he was feeling.

The only silver lining was that James didn’t leave his side for a second. He was there giving Tony comfort, massages, and reassurance. He was there with ice chips and cool towels. He made sure that Tony knew that he was there every step of the way.

As the pain grew and Tony’s labour progressed, he started throwing up a bit. That hadn’t happened with Peter but Tony also hadn’t been this sick the entire time back then. The doctor said it was to be expected. James just rubbed his back and held a container under his face for Tony to throw up into.

“James…” whispered Tony and James just held him close.

“I’ve got you sweet thing. I’ve got you. You’ll be alright. I’ve got you.” Soothed James and Tony just nodded. He trusted his mate more than anything at the moment.

And then Tony’s water broke.

Things started to move very fast after that. There was yelling. A lot of yelling. James sat behind Tony to help prop him up and to offer support while he pushed. There was blood. So much blood. James had no clue that giving birth involved so much blood.

“You’re doing so good baby doll. Just keep going. You’re doing amazing.” Encouraged James as Tony continued to push as per the doctor's instructions.

Neither was sure how long Tony pushed for. Neither knew how long Tony was in pain. All they knew was that none of it mattered when a tiny, screaming pup was placed in Tony’s arms after hours of grief. Tony and James cried as they finally got to meet their daughter for the first time. She was absolutely perfect. Her face was scrunched up and red but she ready had Tony’s eye’s and James’s nose. She had a tiny bit of brown hair on her head and she looked so small in Tony’s arms. She was only 6lbs and 17 inches. Small for an Alpha pup but perfectly healthy. As soon as the doctors had made sure that Tony and the pup were healthy and were going to be alright, they left the room so that their parents could bond with their pup. James was so glad when they left. His instincts were running wild. He needed to keep everybody away from his mate and pup. The only person he’d allow in would be Peter because he was also his pup.

“Hi there Morgan. I’m your Mamma.” Whispered Tony as he held his daughter close.

“God Tony. She’s so perfect. You did so well doll.” Cried, James. Tears streamed down his face and he rested his chin on Tony’s shoulder and held them both close.

James laid them all back on the bed and made sure that Tony was comfortable as he cradled their pup with such great care. He helped Tony pull his gown down so that he and Morgan could have some skin to skin time. James also removed his own shirt. It would help with the bonding and scenting.

“You’re so amazing Tony. Thank you for giving me this. Thank you for giving me my life back. Thank you for giving me two beautiful pups. Thank you for everything.” Whispered James as he moved a hand around Tony to gently run his flesh fingers over Morgan’s head.

“I love you, James. I love you so much. I’m so glad that I found you again. It just felt wrong being without you. Now we can finally be together.”

“I’ll always be here for you Tony. Always.”

The two sat in silence as Morgan had her first feed at Tony’s chest. She made the cutest little noises as he got acquainted with her parents. After Morgan was well fed, James got to hold her for the first time. Tony laid snuggly on the bed as James oh so carefully held his little girl to his chest. They were skin to skin and James was absolutely sobbing. He never thought he’d ever get this. Not even back in the 40’s before he got called to war. Certainly not while he was in HYDRA’s clutches. But now? Now he had a beautiful mate and two amazing pups. Tony was perfect. He was smart and funny. He was stunning and made James blush. He made James feel whole after so long of feeling empty.

“Hey there Morgan. I guess… I guess I’m your dad. I… I never thought I’d get to have you. You, your Mamma, and your brother are the best thing to ever happen to me.” Cried James as he held her. “I’m going to protect you. You, your Mamma, and Peter. We’ll… we’ll be alright. We’ll be safe. I love you so much already Morgan. So, so much.” 

“You’re a good dad.” Smiled Tony, interrupting the little moment between James and Morgan.

“You should get some rest doll. I’m sure Peter will be here soon and no doubt he’ll be all excited.”

Tony managed to get about an hour of rest before Peter showed up and was allowed into the room. Pretty much instantly he was fussing over his Mamma and begging to hold his little sister. James and Tony sat there and watched as Peter got to meet Morgan for the first time. There, in that little room in medical, everything seemed to feel complete. They were free and whole and all together. It was amazing.

Adding Morgan into their little family wasn’t really hard at all. Tony already knew how to care for a pup and James learned fast. All though he learned some things the hard way. Tony would forever tease his mate about his first-ever diaper change. 

A week after Tony gave birth, James had calmed down enough to allow some of the others to come in to meet Morgan and check in on Tony. The first were Pepper, Happy, Rhodey, and Steve. Steve immediately wanted to hold Morgan but James didn’t let him. Well, he didn’t let anyone. He was alright with letting other people in the room. He was not fine with anyone touching his mate and pups. Luckily, Steve knew that James’s growling wasn’t personal and more instinct to protect his family and he stepped back and looked from a distance. 

Soon enough Tony and Morgan were given a clean bill of health and they were allowed to go home. Peter was excited to go home. He couldn’t wait to show his best friend Ned all the pictures of him and his new sister. Tony was excited to go home and sleep in his own bed for the first time in weeks. James, well he was just excited to have more time with his family. The time he’d had with Tony and Peter, and now Morgan was the best he’d ever had. He spent 70 odd years trapped by HYDRA. Now he had a family and freedom. It was amazing.

Morgan settled in well once they made it back to the tower. Peter went back to school and Tony rested when he could. James had absolutely no problem with doing most of the dirty work. Tony had been all alone the first time he deserved some rest. Plus James was absolutely not going to say no to having more time with his pup. Morgan was just so precious and once he got his bearings, James took to parenthood like a natural. 

“I’m so lucky.” Whispered James one night as he sat with Tony in Morgan’s nursery while Morgan fed.

“We’re so lucky. I’m glad I found you. I’m glad you’re safe. I’m glad we finally get to be a family.” Smiled back, Tony.

James scooted closer from his spot sitting on the floor and rested his head on Tony’s thighs. He smiled and watched as his mate fed his pup. He was in awe over everything. And well, so was Tony. He’d spent so long waiting for the moment when his mate returned. He’d been through so much. They both had really. But Tony was so happy that he had James back. The world just seemed brighter now with him here. It may have been a long road to get to this point, but they made it in the end.

And they both knew everything had turned out exactly as it should.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what did y’all think of this fic? I liked writing it. I’m currently writing a prequel of Tony and Peter’s life before this fic. I’ve got a good chunk done but I’ll probably try to write more over winter break when I don’t have post-secondary classes to worry about. I hope you liked this fic. If you like my writing I’ve got loads of other fics for you to choose from. I’ll see you all soon. Have a great day. -Shadows

**Author's Note:**

> Oh boy! That’s quite a way for me to start things. I wonder why Tony’s mystery man left? Don’t worry, all will be revealed next chapter. I hope you enjoyed this one. I’m excited about this fic. Drop a comment to let me know what you think. I’ll see y’all soon. -Shadows


End file.
